Mailbag: Shootings of police officers reveal a society in moral decline

The devastating news surrounding law enforcement in Dallas has most of the community reeling, reflecting and realizing the absolute truth: society is turning into chaos.

I, like many of us, have gone through a flood of emotions over the incident in Dallas. Every inch of me supports our officers. These are the people who risk their lives each time they put on their uniforms.

Most people know that our officers are out on the field enforcing the laws, writing tickets, arresting criminals and taking reports, but do they know the heart behind the badge?

Do they know the helpful hand reaching out to care for the homeless population?

Do they know that an officer serves as a shoulder to cry on?

Do they know the officers feel the pain of a family’s loss when they have to deliver tragic, life-changing news?

Do they know the sacrifice officers make to keep our community safe, while most of us are fast asleep?

Officers are people. It’s time we humanize our men and women who serve our community and stop lumping them together with the few bad seeds that may exist. They are our heroes, let’s honor them the way they deserve.

More now than ever we need to let our officers know that they do not stand alone, we stand with them.

Jenn Torres
Huntington Beach

Editor’s Note: The writer works in Newport Beach.

Letter added little to the conversation

I found the letter by the Rev. Sarah Halverson-Cano extremely disturbing, inaccurate and irresponsible (``Those who benefit from white privilege must speak out,” July 17). She described being nervous while being pulled over by the police, yet not worried she would be killed.

She believed it was due to her white privilege that kept her from being gunned down. My question is, did she follow the officer’s instructions?

The entire false narrative of “hands up, don’t shoot” was confirmed by former Atty. Gen. Eric Holder. Never happened. The entire Ferguson, Mo., tragedy has morphed into the Black Lives Matter movement.

This is a social issue and to blame a specific group of people is not helpful. Growing up Hispanic in a poor neighborhood, we were taught to respect police officers; those who did not ended up in jail.

Using the words “white privilege” only furthers the divide and is counter-productive.

Juli Hayden
Newport Beach