Sgt. Christie Wood (RE: Is the policeman our friend?): DFO it as if you sent out the bat signal:) How do I not respond? Of course you should teach children policeofficers are their friend. If a child is in crisis they need to feel comfortable seeking out an officer. It could mean the difference between life and death. We are public servants. Not all of the services we provide to the public such as traffic enforcement are popular when you are the one being pulled over. The flip side of that is we have numerous citizens asking us to provide enforcement action in order to keep the roadways safe for their loved ones. That is our role and we will continue to do it, but with it comes with an educational component whenever possible. Most drivers respond well to warnings and informational stops about equipment failure or expired license plates.

DFO: This post would be a good candidate for the "Comment of the Day" if I hadn't felt compelled to publish it now. I agree with Christie. The police(wo)man is our friend. I'd teach my kids that. I'd teach my grandkids that (if I ever had any). Yes, I know there are a few bad apples in law enforcement. But I consider them to be in the superminority. I'm glad the men & women in blue are out there. Thoughts?