New Bedford Should Be Loud and Proud About Its Police [OPINION]

The city of New Bedford had a terrible situation the day after Thanksgiving and it would have been worse if not for the four police officers who responded.

A young man from the suburbs, with a documented history of mental health issues and out on bail after allegedly committing a crime of a sexual nature, made his way to New Bedford the morning after Thanksgiving. His father had already reported the 18-year-old had stolen his pistol and the Mattapoisett Police had secured a warrant for his arrest for a felony from Wareham District Court.

That trip to New Bedford will probably be the last journey the young man will ever make as a free person. He is charged with murdering one person and attempting to murder five other people that day. Four of the people he allegedly tried to murder were members of the New Bedford Police Department.

The police officers dodged the bullets and then captured rather than killed the person who gave them no such consideration. The discipline, training, and teamwork of those police officers are nothing short of incredible. They kept their cool under fire, they lived, and they stopped an alleged murderer without firing a shot.

Those officers should be given the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their actions. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker should be hailing the professionalism of the officers. President Trump should have these brave men to the White House.

The media, with limited exception, has ignored the valor and the humanity of these officers. The realities of this story don't fit the "defund the police" narrative of the mainstream media. Sadly, the paid activists aren't in the business of the truth when the truth favors the men and women who put their lives on the line as police officers.

Prior to this attempted murder of the four officers, the New Bedford City Council voted unanimously to oppose the radical anti-police officer bill that is called "police reform" by the state legislature on Beacon Hill. That vote by the council has aged well.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author