One of the things I hate about this state is the way we turn on our police at the drop of a hat. It almost seems like we are just looking for an excuse to insult, belittle, and condemn those swore to protect and serve us. These men and women routinely put their lives at risk to ensure the safety of our own, and this is the thanks we give them?

Now don’t get me wrong; I have had plenty of run-ins with the police that did not end favorably for me. I have been pulled over when I was not speeding, had parties I was attending broken up for no reason, and had more then a few policemen cop an attitude with me when I was trying to be civil.

But I am not really one to hold a grudge.

I am also not of the mindset that we, as a society, should be attacking our police at every turn.

Take, for example, the case of Devin Brown. If the name does not ring a bell, he was the 13-year-old kid who was shot and killed at the end of a police pursuit back in February when he backed the car he was driving toward LAPD officer Steve Garcia. As one would imagine, there was a huge public outcry after his death and many in the community wanted to see Garcia fired from the LAPD and criminally charged for Brown’s death.

Just last Tuesday, L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley announced that he would not file criminal charges against Officer Garcia largely because of the testimony by an eyewitness to the shooting. The eyewitness’s account largely supported Officer Garcia’s statements about what happened that night. Based on this evidence, and what the District Attorney’s office described as inconclusive evidence from the LAPD’s reenactment of the shooting, Mr. Cooley decided no criminal charges should be filed.

What was conclusive, according to the D.A.’s office, was that Officer Garcia was exposed and had a high risk of being hit by the vehicle driven by Devin Brown.

This does not mean that Garcia will not be disciplined by the LAPD. It only assures no criminal charges will be filed. Devin Brown’s family has already filed a wrongful-death civil suit against the LAPD despite the D.A.’s findings.

Many Los Angeles community leaders believe the District Attorney made the wrong decision. Tony Muhammad, head of the western states Nation of Islam, told the L.A. Times that Cooley’s decision would cause “more mistrust of the cops” and that LAPD Chief William Bratton “absolutely needs to fire Garcia.” Earl Hutchinson, a political commentator and South L.A. activist said that Cooley’s actions “…amounts to a tacit endorsement of police abuse, shootings and violence.”

I disagree profusely with these two men. I believe wholeheartedly that the reason people distrust the police is because of people like Tony Muhammad. People who take advantage of every chance they get to undermine the authority of our police departments and marginalize their efforts and accomplishments. People who paint the police as power hungry, abusive, and inhuman.

I am not saying there is never corruption in police departments. We all remember the LAPD Rampart scandal last year. But what I am saying is people like Tony Muhammad and Earl Hutchinson who constantly objectify and belittle the police are doing a great disservice to society.

The handful of cops who abuse the system are greatly outnumbered by good officers who live to uphold the law. But, as always, the bad eggs ruin it for everyone else. When people think of the LAPD, what comes to mind? Police brutality? Racism? Profiling? That sad truth is that all these and more are routinely brought to mind when people think about the LAPD. What usually is not is hardworking people, just like you and I, who risk their lives every day to uphold the law. People who chose to work in one of the most dangerous precincts in the country. People who have families and want the best for them. People who fear for their own lives just as you or I would.

Let me pose a question to you all: If it were around 4 am and you were on the streets of Los Angeles pursuing a fleeing vehicle that was driving erratically, and once that vehicle stopped and you got out of your car and that vehicle started backing towards you, what would you do? If you only had a split second to react, what would you do?

If it were me, I probably would have done the same thing Officer Garcia did.

I am not saying it was the right thing to do, but I am not saying it was the wrong thing to do either. It was a decision Officer Garcia had to make, and given the circumstances, I do not really see a viable alternative. It is tragic that Devin Brown was killed, but Officer Garcia was under extreme duress. We do not like to think of our police as regular people, but behind that badge, they are just like you and I. They have special training, of course, but what Officer Garcia did was a reaction.

We need to respect our police. They are an essential part of our society, but they are only as powerful as we make them. Mistakes will always be made because humans is are flawed creatures. We must do is recognize these mistakes when they happen and work to fix them. What we must not do is over dramatize the situation and start playing the blame game. That only leads to the fractionalizing and ultimate degradation of society.