I grew up in the suburbs of Dallas. My first experiences with the police were not positive. Policing, like crime, was different there than it is here. Racial profiling and other discriminatory behavior are things I have experienced firsthand.
My first car was an Acura. I have since learned that where I lived, in that time, a black kid with that kind of car was likely to be profiled by police as a drug dealer. I was stopped 10 times in the first six months I owned the car, but not one citation was issued. The stops were always for very minor traffic violations, and once I was asked to exit my vehicle so the officers could search it -- to determine if the car actually belonged to me. Even though I was what most would consider a good kid, I was regarded as a criminal. It came to be something I expected to happen when I left my home.
No one should have to grow used to that kind of treatment.
My attitude toward police was formed in those early years, and it is with that mentality that I arrived in Northwest Arkansas. It became apparent, however, that things were different here. The police officers seemed friendlier. They spoke and waved to me for no reason other than being neighborly. They actually parked their squad cars in their own driveways -- something an officer would never do where I was from -- because an officer would not want to advertise his or her place of residence.
For years, Northwest Arkansas seemed to be in a bubble, insulated from the troubles of the rest of the country. My children, like so many here, have been raised in that bubble. They are unaware of the things people in urban areas -- both regular citizens and police officers -- deal with on a daily basis. In 2014, that insulation was permeated a bit by the media.
Officer-involved incidents like the cases of Eric Garner and Mike Brown dominated news coverage, and social media gave many a chance to express their opinions in a public forum. It was obvious that there was a disconnect between how the public believed incidents should be handled and how law enforcement actually handled them. I was curious what actual procedure was and hoped to be able to speak intelligently about the subject when it came up. So I signed up for Bella Vista's Citizen Police Academy hoping to bridge the knowledge gap between what I thought should happen and what police are trained to do.
I expected the classes to be filled with older residents who saw this as an opportunity to get out of the house, who fully supported the police and had lived in Arkansas all of their lives. I expected the program facilitators to have ready, tailor-made excuses and justifications.
What I found, however, was that some of the people had, just like me, moved here from urban areas and were used to cops and crime being different from how it is in Northwest Arkansas. The class encompassed a wide range of backgrounds and ages. I found people who had the same questions and concerns as I did. Most importantly, though, I found that the class was very educational.
I was surprised by the number of things I learned about law enforcement procedure and how many misconceptions I had about the actions they take. I used to think when I saw multiple squad cars behind one stopped vehicle, those officers either had nothing better to do with their time or the person they stopped had done something heinous. However, when I went on a ride-along with officer V.J. Wilson, I learned that those officers are helping each other follow procedure. They back each other up, and they move like clockwork.
In the class, we learned the proper procedure for officers making contact with people and how careful they are to follow that procedure. We learned that dispatch plays an integral role in communication while finding, receiving and distributing information. And even when things seem slow, the detectives have not forgotten about a case. They work diligently and tirelessly to catch the bad guys.
As I listened to men like Capt. Tim Cook or officer Mike Kugler describe their duties and experiences, I remembered that law enforcement officers are still just people. These men and women of conscience are exposed to the worst qualities humanity has to offer, yet they still rise the next day to perform their duty -- to protect and serve the community.
If Bella Vistans were to ask me what I'd learned about the people in their Police Department, I'd tell them that your captain is an honorable man of faith. Your officers are well trained and knowledgeable. Your dispatchers are qualified and caring. Your detectives are diligent and patient. Your police force is doing the best it can to make sure you stay safe.
I understand that this may not be the case everywhere. Several people around the country are still mistrustful of the actions of police, and they may have valid reasons to be mistrustful.
But if anyone starts to question the integrity of the officers in this town, I can say with confidence and pride, "This is Bella Vista. It's different here."
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Robert Honeycutt is the office manager at The Weekly Vista. His email address is [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 11/09/2016