Community's contempt, criticism does not help law enforcement
by Patrick O'Neill, Eureka, 1/2/2007
This opinion piece is my response to Dr. Ring’s letter to the editor dated Dec. 31.
Dr. Ring, I think you are misinterpreting the interim police chief’s comments. I don’t believe he was suggesting that methamphetamine addiction is caused by social services. I think he was merely stating that addiction is supported by the numerous free services provided to these people.
I have been a law enforcement officer in Humboldt County for 13 years. Working in corrections and currently as a police officer, I, like you, have one-on-one contact with addicts every day. For the past 13 years I have listened to many addicts who state they like the effects of their use of their drug of choice and the “high” they receive from its use. These addicts do not have plans to stop using, and why should they?
A majority of the addicts are receiving some sort of governmental aid to pay for their shelter. If not, they can be provided a place to sleep at the Rescue Mission. Additionally, they receive food stamps or can visit the free food services provided in Old Town to care for their nutritional needs. Free medical services are available through the Mobile Medical Office, which I believe you work for. A quick walk around Old Town will allow them to receive free dental care, counseling (if they will accept it), clothing trough St. Vincent’s and clean needles to assist in safe drug ingestion.
Through these services, these addicts have no accountability for their choices to use their drugs of choice.
If I enjoy going out to dinner or attending a movie, if I spend over my budget, I can’t afford to do these activities when I want to. I have to change my spending habits to account for these activities or if finances are too tight, I just can’t do them. However, a drug addict does not have to worry about finances because he or she can spend every dime they have on drugs; all their needs will be met for free through government/donation paid services.
To quote you: “The ‘go ahead and make my day’ school of law enforcement has caused enough tragedy in Eureka.”
I take offense to this statement. Your contacts with these persons are from providing free medical and counseling services to those addicts who choose to go to you. I have a quote for you: “You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” These people are going to be polite and cooperative with you. You are giving them services and they are choosing to be there.
I, on the other hand, deal with these people when they have just robbed someone to pay for the one thing the community does not give them for free: drugs! So, if they can’t afford to pay for the drugs, the money has to come from somewhere.
Another situation that I have to deal with concerning drug addicts is when they have beaten their spouses while in a state of extreme drug influence. When they are in possession of illicit drugs and run from the police because they don’t want to go to jail and are willing to assault members of the community so as not to be taken into custody (including law enforcement officers, who somehow I have noticed have been set aside from community members in the letters to the editor. I live in Humboldt County, I don’t wear my uniform 24 hours a day and I don’t live at the police station).
Law enforcement officers are called to places when situations have reached a state of fear and confusion. We are thrust in the middle of the situations of violence with no warning of what is waiting for us on the other side of the door. In other words, we run toward what others run from. What do we get for our services to the community and split-second decision making? Criticism and contempt from many in the community.
I am tired of hearing law enforcement being blamed for our reactions to situations crated by the offender. I don’t ask people to assault or point weapons at me. But when this happens and I am forced to do my duty, shame on members of this community who know nothing of the situation other than word of mouth and media coverage to judge me. You most likely will never be in a majority of the situations I respond to daily and have never had to make the difficult decisions we have to make in seconds. If you think that you can handle these situations better than I, then the police academy runs all year round.
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.
'Go ahead and make my day' law enforcement has caused enough tradedy
12/31/2006
Dear Editor,
Your recent story on methamphetamine and the motel standoff began with a fact from the coroner and ended with the fiction from Police Chief Harpham that methamphetamine addiction is caused by social services.
Following Harpham’s logic, we can easily deduce that maternity shops cause pregnancy and UPS causes Christmas.
That makes so much more sense than the many rigorous studies proving that mental health care, drug treatment and harm reduction services reduce drug use and protect communities from crime and HIV infection.
The “go ahead and make my day” school of law enforcement has caused enough tragedy in Eureka.
Collaboration with service providers, instead of bad-mouthing them at every opportunity, would give police more nonviolent options and help move addicts and mentally ill people out of the costly and ineffective criminal justice system into less expensive, more appropriate treatment.
Harpham can be forgiven, as temporary chief and an old school cop, for not being on the cutting edge of law enforcement. But one can’t help but wonder if The Eureka Reporter has sacrificed good journalism to the Arkleys’ agenda for Old Town by broadcasting his opinions without any effort to check facts or solicit other opinions.
The methamphetamine problem feeds on isolation. Our best chance for success is for everyone involved with addicts and people at risk to work together and share resources.
Responsible reporting should shed light without fanning the flames.
Wendy Ring, M.D.
Eureka
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserve
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