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Long time ago "the old man" taught me to respect authority and to cooperate with the police when and if they asked me to.  To this day that advise had paid off as I have not been beaten, stunned or shot dead by the police yet.  You know, perhaps the best advise you can give to your kids in today's crazy world, work and study hard, be faithful and trustworthy, save for tomorrow, be vigilant,  and cooperate with authorities.  Oh, and if trouble breaks out, take off.

It's a tough time to be in law enforcement.  We expect our police to be mothers, fathers, clergy, counselors, super heroes, perfect and invisible all at once.  Oh, did I mention available at our beck and call?  Tall order but hey, they get paid well and nobody forced them to join the academy, right?

The demands on law enforcement have never been greater as society spins out of control and the threat from outside continues to get real.  Most citizens are only too happy to work with the police to make sure everything hums along as it's supposed to.  But there are some among us who have a tough time with all of that authority and for whatever reason feel it necessary to challenge it at every turn.  That's okay, it's our right as free Americans to do that but you have to do it wisely and carefully.

A police officer has no right to shoot you down without cause but by the same token has every right to go home at night.  There are a few simple rules that apply that almost guarantee that you survive an encounter with the police and that  the police officer goes home to his or her family.  The most important rule is that you keep a cool head and cooperate.  If stopped by a police officer you simply stay put and place your hands on the wheel until you are given further instructions.     If told to raise your hands in the air or get on your knees with your hands behind you head...do it.

I don't know many cops who just want to shoot people for sport but a do know a lot who might consider pulling the trigger if they feel self-preservation is an issue.  Don't put yourself or them in that position and I guarantee the number of police involved shootings will decrease dramatically in a quick hurry.

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