Officers leaving NYPD in droves, defund police policies proliferating, violent crime skyrocketing. Every day or three days, I get despairing messages from NY law enforcement officers with active religious faiths. Some are Democrats, some are
Republicans and some are “none of the above.” None identify as “White American.”
Here are some verbatim messages over a recent two week period in April 2021:
- “the mark of the beast this weekend…’peaceful demonstrations'”
- “more incidents this week of impaired driving”
- “she got smashed, it tears at one”
- “Cr** the judge got run down!”
- “we are so dysfunctional, the cup of judgment is coming“
- “almost impossible to send a non-compliant parolee back to jail. Moreover, I would get my a** kicked for trying.”
- “1970s NY again”;
- “guy that clobbered that 65-year-old Asian woman …was on lifetime parole”
- “things are going worse”
- “bizarro strange days…check your six now and again”
What can you do? (if you are not religious, substitute “think” or “meditate” for the word “pray.”)
- Pray that law enforcement officers will have greater support, better morale, safety, good decision-making, and effectiveness at stopping and apprehending wrong-doers.
- Evaluate the mayor candidates’ law enforcement viewpoints. Pray for wisdom.
- Invite community police officers to your congregation or group to advise what you can do when someone is assaulted on the street.
- Here is a tough one. Name your angers or fears of the police. Are these hindering you from praying for the police?
- Here is another tough one. Name your angers or fears of the criminals. Are these hindering you from praying for the criminals? Hint: You know the old saying, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
- Finally, do you know the name of at least one law enforcement officer? Pray for this specific person.
