A little insight: Incident with trooper in Greene County shows danger officers face

It did not happen here, thank goodness.

But the incident with the N.C. Highway Patrol trooper in Greene County should make many residents realize just how dangerous a job it is to be a Highway Patrol officer -- and just how quickly an innocent stop can turn into a really dangerous situation.

The trooper stopped a car that was being driven by an alleged theft suspect, and in the process of that action, managed to encounter a scuffle with one of the occupants of that car, who, in turn, used the officer's Taser on him.

News like this is nothing new. Hundreds of Highway Patrol and other officers face this kind of risk every day across the country -- and sometimes these confrontations end in the death of a law enforcement officer.

Hearing stories like this should not mean that we should allow officers the power to be unfair or unnecessarily rough with potential suspects. It does not mean that we should change laws to allow officers to have too much power during such a confrontation.

But it should make everyone think twice about what we expect from the men and women who serve in these jobs -- and how we should reward and support them.

The reality is that the world is still full of people with no regard for laws or the personal safety of others. We should appreciate those who make it their business to keep them off the streets.

Published in Editorials on May 18, 2010 10:09 AM