Unfortunate and unmerited indeed were the comments of Gavin Kentch’s recent letter, “Value everyone’s contribution” (April 29).
Cries of “defund the police” as the progressive left marches toward anarchy in this nation are emblematic of the depths to which esteem and respect for law enforcement, law enforcement officers and the law itself has fallen, particularly among folks of Mr. Kentch’s generation. While police may not be the sole force necessary to maintain a civil society, they are indeed the front line of it, and the ones called when social workers, teachers, public defenders, firemen, paramedics or snowplow operators are in need of a police response. Police are indeed human, and as such, are subject to the same human error and human biases, just like the rest of us out here in society; they are drawn from that same human population.
I’d encourage Mr. Kentch to go on a “ride-along” with our local police some busy weekend night. Possibly he could get in on assisting in saving the life of an officer, as was the citizen who assisted at the recent scene of an officer who was shot multiple times in his lower body, just off 10th Avenue here in Anchorage. Possibly then his “sour grapes” attitude toward law enforcement and House Bill 55 would lessen and he would be more supportive of our police and an appropriate retirement benefit for them.
— Patrick J. Rider
Anchorage
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