Every family member asks this question daily. I wonder how many leaders realize the gravity of that question for their officers. When they get up in the morning, they have quiet time with their family before embarking on, hopefully, another routine day at the office....
MAJOR BEN’S ARTICLES
Below is a list of articles by Major Ben Brooks that have appeared in the Times Herald.
Leaks
A leak is an unintended hole, crack, or fault that allows a substance- such as a liquid, gas, or light- to escape or enter a container or system. As a child growing up in the rural South, I watched my father build his own home. At that time, he installed a tin roof....
Masks and Officer Safety
As a career law enforcement officer, I am perplexed by the recent debate over officers wearing masks. Everything I learned about law enforcement involved honesty, integrity, and, most of all, transparency. The federal government has a duty to present law enforcement...
Bias Understood
As an international speaker, trainer, and consultant, I have been intrigued by the lack of understanding of various terms, with people using them without knowing their meanings or applications. At one of my National Speakers Association conferences, a presenter shared...
Fear and Bias as a Law Enforcement Blind Spot
Fear – an unpleasant feeling triggered by the perception of danger real or imagined. Origin - past experiences (0-6) History - nomadic days (fight or flight) Survival function - to protect us, triggered by a significant event, i.e., hot, cold, wet, trauma Source: New...
DEI America’s Biggest Blind Spot
In 2016, I took a course with AARP in defensive driving. Having been driving since I was sixteen, I was curious about what the instructor could teach me. I signed up for the course to get a discount on my car insurance. As the instructor went through his orientation,...
DEI, The Latest Bogeyman
DEI is the latest catchphrase that is the catalyst for the present state of the divided states of America. We raise and salute the flag as we recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States of America. As patriotic as that sounds, it is far from our day-to-day...
The Reality of Community Policing
Many police executives approached community-oriented policing with a great deal of skepticism because they didn’t realize the critical role that the community plays in their success. Many felt they could do it on their own. Dr. Lee Brown, a former police commissioner...
A Practical Approach to Addressing School Shootings
After Columbine, over four hundred school shootings were reported in America. Every citizen should be outraged that our society has allowed that to happen. Schools should be the safest place in our community for our students, staff, and teachers. It is challenging to...
Politicians And The Intellectual Black Woman
The Constitution states that “all men are created equal”. There was no mention of women by the founding fathers. Ironically, men have taken this as gospel in how they perform and govern. The fact that women were not part of the original drafting of the Constitution,...
A Nation Of Cowards
By Major Ben Brooks
Former Atty. Gen. Eric Holder once said that America is a nation of cowards and he received a great deal of pushback for his statement. As I listened to his pronouncement, I wondered what was the concern about his statement. America has always had an issue with confronting an obvious truth. Social media and other private platforms have provided a haven for those who are not brave enough to have a face-to-face dialogue, particularly with those with whom they disagree.
I have a constant struggle trying to reconcile the position of those who do not have the temerity to engage in a personal dialogue. Social media has provided a haven for the expression of hatred, venom, and vile comments which would never be uttered in the presence of those who have been targeted.
When I listen to political figures who utter disparaging, racial, misogynistic, and hateful remarks about individuals who are considered as others, it is disheartening to see the depth to which some in this nation have sunken.
It is incumbent upon each of us to hold people accountable for their public commentary. This is especially important when the commentary is uttered by our political figures. Unfortunately, what they have to say mirrors many private thoughts of many citizens.
For America to foster and maintain its greatness in the world, it is critical to return to an era of civility and decency, which is what distinguishes us from the rest of the world. We must have the fortitude and resolve to build bridges instead of gulfs. Name-calling and denigration are not the answer. Make sure the words you speak are sweet in case you have to eat them. Through social media, the world is listening. Unification makes you a hero, vilification makes you a coward.