Stephen Matthews: Reasons that people are upset with police actions

There are reasons people are upset with the police.

First, attacking or hurting officers is plain wrong and so is looting and destroying businesses. Second, I feel most of the recent police-involved shootings have actually been justifiable, as in the Michael Brown case. But the homeless man shot in the back on camera in New Mexico and the man choked in New York was just murder. Lastly, cops rarely “save the day.” They arrive after the crime has been committed.

Their job is to serve and protect. But across the country they are used to hand out petty tickets and summons to make revenue.

Cops in New York are doing their jobs keeping people safe. They arrest the bad guys, but they have reduced their tickets for petty offenses by 75 percent and are now being told no time off until they bring in more tickets and revenue. We are tired of being used as a source of income by the government.

And when they do get caught it is either justified, swept under the rug, or dealt with by a slap on the wrist. They often have have more firepower than our military. We are not enemy combatants, but the people who write their checks.

This story was originally published January 12, 2015 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Stephen Matthews: Reasons that people are upset with police actions."