Dallas Violence And Controversial Police Killings Don’t Deter Police Cadets

Why would anyone want to be a cop these days?”
That’s a question many are asking in light of Thursday night’s ambush in Dallas.
Has that event, or the numerous police controversies lately hurt recruiting?

It’s dangerous out there on the street.
That goes for citizens as well as police officers. The Dallas shootings Thursday night are an example of targeting law enforcement officers.
Has it led students in criminal justice programs to re-think their careers?

KYLE WALKER, POLICE ACADEMY, CLEVELAND STATE “It happens, my thoughts and prayers are with the families and things like that. I know its tough, but that comes with the job, the territory. Everybody that’s in this like of work, they know what they’re signing up for.”

DUSTIN LAWSON, POLICE ACADEMY, CLEVELAND STATE “It is what it is, they come after me, I mean. I’ll go get them.’

One complaint heard around the country is that there are not enough minorities, especially African-Americans coming into law enforcement.
But many young people are still choosing it as a life’s work. This young man is determined to go into it.

JAIRUS WILLIAMS, SR. at EAST RIDGE H.S. “..cause I think some people just feel like polices are like racist, and that’s why they do certain things …but it they see an African-American police officers also going to get on there…they’ll probably change a little bit of their perspective on it.”

There are scores of retired police officers like Napoleon “Donut” Williams—who have a broad perspective of law enforcement as a career for minorities.

NAPOLEON “DONUT’ WILLIAMS, CHATTANOOGA POLICE OFFICER (RET) “The most important thing, get somebody who can recruit, you know. And you can recruit these kids ..you’ve just got to know how to recruit them.”

Minority or not, the life of a police officer on the street can change in a flash.

COURTNEY TRIVETT, POLICE ACADEMY, CLEVELAND STATE “Any officer I’ve ever talked to, they don’t wake up in the morning and think that you know they want to go hurt somebody today. It’s a tough thing to have to do.”

NAPOLEON “DONUT” WILLIAMS “Something’s got to give….we’ve got to pray about this thing. Cause, it could happen here.”