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...
A Nation Of Cowards
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...
Thirty Pieces of Silver and Black Men
By Major Ben Brooks
Thirty pieces of silver were the price for which Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. As it was described in Matthew 26:14-16: Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went in unto the chief priests, and said to them, “What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?” And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time, he sought an opportunity to betray him.
This phenomenon registered with me as I listened to comments about the stance of some Black men in America, focused on the silver in making decisions about their future. Philosophically, we have been known to occupy the moral high ground, recognizing our struggle since the days of slavery and being true to our upbringing, looking to the future with clear eyes. Unfortunately, there are those among us who are very shortsighted about their future.
While we are not a monolith, it is important to understand the gravity of our position in society. It was disconcerting to witness many of our brothers who have taken their eyes off the prize of freedom and liberty. This has caused a great deal of consternation as a vision of the future is clouded by the offering of modern-day pieces of silver, not recognizing that the offerings are designed to render a short-term benefit.
Our present struggle dictates that every able-bodied man should be considering the future of his mother, daughter, sister, and nieces, who are depending on him to consider what the future looks like for them. Would the offer of thirty pieces of silver accomplish that mission? If not, there should be a recalculation of a life of freedom, choice, and control. As my bishop says, “It is not about the money; it’s about decisions.”
When we allow the offering of the present-day thirty pieces of silver to impact our decision, we abandon our role in protecting the rights, privileges, and choices of those we profess to love and cherish. Take a good look at the short-term benefit versus the long-term satisfaction of peace, joy, and fulfillment of those who will benefit from your decision.