Let us kneel for law and order, not for anarchy.

TO THE EDITOR:

Hello, as a resident of Santa Monica for over 40 years, I find it is my civic duty to contact you in support of the Santa Monica Police Dept. Also, my latest friendly interaction and concern with a police officer encouraging me to support him and fellow officers is the reason why I'm writing. I always keep my word and hope this helps and is not just dismissed and overlooked. If this can be circulated in your publication, that would be great. It's about time we support our law enforcement instead of vilifying them!

In this very tense and heightened climate we are forced to live in lately, I feel law enforcement and the rule of law is extremely crucial to our health and well being as a community now more than ever. Politics being beside the point, we all want to live in a free society where respect and the rule of law is the top priority. The alternative is chaos.

It is very dismaying to see our law enforcement treated so disrespectfully oh a daily basis here and around the country. I also do not want to see our SMPD defunded, reduced or replaced like LAPD. If anything, they should get a raise for all they have to put up with in society. Not only do they have to suit up physically for battle, but mentally every time like going into a potential war zone.

What's happening to our society where it seems our police are being hunted, facing down potential enemies and combatants? Are we next when there's nobody around protecting us? Police are human flesh and blood and want to go home to their families every day like the rest of us. Fortunately, most of us will never know what it's like being out there in the midst. Thank god, someone has to.

As far as I'm concerned, they are as important - maybe even more so - than other first responders. The Fire Dept cannot do their job without the police. They are equal First Responders (remember 9/11). Getting caught up in this latest frenzied political movement to defund/remove our precious police does nobody any good in the long run. SMPD is the main reason why SM remains a safe and secure city and why I continue to reside here.

Let us kneel for law and order, not for anarchy.

Thank you,

Linda Ryan

Resident of Ocean Park