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Here's a profound little thought experiment: what would happen tomorrow if there were no more uniformed law enforcement officers?

Everyone would agree that the police are not perfect. Cops make mistakes. Some institutions have bad policies or toxic cultures. There are individual cops that need to be disciplined.

But without law enforcement how would daily life progress? Who would be helped? Who would be hurt?

This is the difficult question of policing. There are calls to “defund” these departments and people who want considerable reform. But also, we as a society depend on this individuals in ways most of us cannot begin to fathom.

To talk about what to do with regard to police departments and law enforcement agencies, we have to start with where we are today. If you want to understand, sign up for a ride-along. Take a citizens academy [1]. Go to one of the public events. Ask your questions.

Because the police do work for us, the citizens. But we have to be willing to work with them to make things better.

[1] I had the chance to complete both the Noblesville Citizens Police Academy and the Carmel Citizens Police Academy. These were excellent programs that provide a great deal of insight into the culture, values, and operations of these departments.