"Protecting Our Community: Choosing Wisdom Over Confrontation"

Over the past few months, I’ve noticed an increase in how people speak about and interact with law enforcement—both on social media and in courtrooms. While it is absolutely important to stand up for yourself and protect your rights, there is also a right way and a right time to do so.

Not every law enforcement officer is out to cause harm. Many are simply doing their job, often with the same goal we all have at the end of the day—to make it home safely to their families. However, a growing narrative is taking shape in some spaces: that members of the community are being abrasive or argumentative when addressed by officers.

This perception—whether accurate or not—can be dangerous. It can feed a harmful mindset that makes police misconduct seem more “justified” in the eyes of some, based on the idea that the person involved was “asking for it” because of their behavior. That is not an excuse for brutality, but it is a reminder that the way we respond in the moment can influence how situations unfold.

I’m not saying you should be silent when something is wrong. Your voice matters. But I am urging you to be mindful, measured, and strategic in your approach. The safest way to stand up for yourself is to do it in a way that does not escalate tension or feed a damaging narrative.

Our safety, dignity, and rights are worth protecting—but so is our ability to walk away from an encounter alive and unharmed. Let’s be wise, let’s be calm, and let’s choose our moments carefully.

Shutanda