It can usually be solved with a simple statement or request.
I used to live in a place where seeing an officer of the law was a comforting feeling. I’d feel safe, I’d feel protected, and most importantly I’d feel like it was somebody on my side standing up for me. That place was never Fargo, which is both a good and a bad thing.
This was a place with a higher crime rate. It was a place where you knew where to go and you knew where not to go. It was a place where even if you were in a ‘good’ part of town, you still didn’t go out alone. I am thankful Fargo is not one of these places. I love Fargo. I always feel safe and worry little about crime, but I do notice some side effects.
In Fargo, when I see a police officer, I tense up. Why would I do this? Does this happen to you? When there’s a police person driving behind your vehicle does your heart rate pick up just a bit? Do you try to drive extra well? Even when I believe I’m obeying the law in every possible way and should have nothing to worry about there is that slight sense of anxiety that kicks in. It is completely unlike my personality and not a comfortable situation by all means.
I’ve started to question why I feel this way, and it’s becoming a little more clear. In Fargo, there’s not a lot of high profile crime. Thank goodness. However, it seems as if officers almost prey upon everyone else. Here, I do not feel like the police department is on my side. Instead of making me feel safe, they make me question my own actions regardless of what they are. I could be standing on a street corner eating an ice cream cone and for some reason these officers have a mystique about them that make you feel guilty for eating that ice cream cone.
I’ve been in countless situations where a ‘dispute’ arose that could have been solved with a simple statement or request. Every situation was in Fargo and every situation was involving citizens whom were good hearted about their decisions. Most of the time, these happenings were gatherings of 8-12 people that ended up getting too loud. I completely understand that when a gathering gets too loud too late in the evening, it’s technically no longer law abiding due to noise ordinances. What I don’t understand is that every time this has occurred and an officer shows up it begins with complete and utter harassment and threats from the officer.
You would think that an officer would want to calmly neutralize a situation, not make it more heated. Trust me, automatically hurling threats about what charges your going to bring to a citizen before tackling the actual situation is not going to solve anything. Especially when the person believes they are behaving within the laws’ means. Imagine opening the door to your home to one of these officers and the first thing he/she says is,
“Are you the owner? If not, I’m gonna charge you with trespassing.”
“What?”
“Looks like we can add failure to comply with a police officer.”
“Wait, what’s going on here?”
“Alright sir, get on the ground.”
And this was all because your TV was too loud. Are you kidding me? This is how the Fargo Police Department handles a situation? With everything else that goes on the the world, this is how you handle a noise violation? I’d hate to see something more serious for fear of a suspect getting gunned down for making eye contact.
I’ve personally witnessed many situations like that described above. Just this summer I witnessed a guy nearly get arrested for walking out of downtown restaurant with a sealed bottle of wine that he payed for. The officer was citing him for open container or drinking in public, when the man was actually leaving with a bottle that had been resealed after him not finishing it with his dinner. God forbid! Get the commisioner! We’ve got a guy over here with a bottle of wine! And some of it is gone! GASP!
He should have never been stopped, questioned, and I may even go as far to say harassed in the first place! This is America, not a police state.
Yet.
My point is, and I’m talking to you FPD, nearly every time the dispute can be handled with one simple statement or request. Instead of just joining in as an instigator, try becoming more of a mediator. When something arrises, don’t be the first to hurl insults and threats from your power whip. Tackle the situation like an adult, not a bloodthirsty predator starved from adventures of bigger city Blues.
“Sir, we’ve been receiving complaints of loud music coming from your home. I’ll have to ask you to turn that off or disband.”
“Enough said, officer.”
That is how a dispute can be handled in a civil manner. Sometimes, as I understand, that doesn’t work and you have someone that actually is belligerently disobeying. Then, THEN, try your other ‘methods.’ There is no need to put fear in people’s hearts that are honestly trying to have a good, hard-earned time within the law and with respect to others and everyone’s safety.
You work for us, Fargo Police Department. It’d be nice to have if feel that way. Especially when I’m eating an ice cream cone.
Respectfully,
Peter Pan
