I saw a man get arrested today.
Right on our church’s parking lot.
This drama played out just as a group of us exited the church building after a meeting with our contractor, his staff, our architect, and various subcontractors. The elation of the moment- we are finally beginning our building project- was stifled somewhat by the scene that greeted us after the meeting.
A man was standing beside his vehicle. Two sheriff’s deputies were shaking him down. Shortly thereafter, the handcuffs came out. The man was shuffled to a waiting vehicle and the door slammed shut behind him. The officers took advantage of the time by standing and talking.
I thought of the man. What did he do? Why was he stopped? Is he a family man? Does he have anyone who cares for him? Will he be put away for the proverbial “long time with the key thrown away?”
All of those thoughts occurred to me as I walked from the church building to the office.
He left behind his truck. Would someone come and get it? Would it stay there, with an ice chest and various items stowed in the bed, the windows down and everything inside exposed? (Note: I returned from lunch to find the truck had disappeared. Who took it?)
It was a disturbing scene.
I know that the officers were doing their job. All in a days work for them, it was. They do this kind of stuff everyday.
But I don’t.
People do bad things. They break the law. They get caught and have to pay a price.
Innocent citizens have to pay a price as well.
I just wish the timing hadn’t been quite what it was. That arrest scene, though calm and routine, haunts me a bit.
Years ago, I told a childhood friend who had become a police officer after I had become a pastor, “If I don’t get to them first, you will.”
This time the law overtook grace.
The good news is that grace will one day completely trump the law. Then such scenes will disappear.
Lord, haste The Day!
I did not like the "all in a days work" phrase. It haunts the officers as well. I arrested folks and performed other tasks to include working fatal traffic accidents, for around 18 years before the nightmares got to me. I arrested a guy in 1995 who killed a Los Angeles Police Officer in 1993. This guy had been hiding with different relatives around the country for 2 years before I got him. When I got him (and his little 380 in the waist band he intended to use on me), I thought about the officer in LA's family, how the officer in LA could be me at any moment, how final death is. Anyway David, it goes on and on. I worked so many shootings from 1993 to 2000 that after awhile, instead of thinking of it as a job, I started thinking about moms, dads, grandma's etc. What were they thinking? How did we get to this? Could I or my department through some neighborhood intervention prevented this? It all started breaking me down. Those officers on the street have to seperate personal and professional. If they let to many personal feelings get in the way, they begin to have personal problems.
ReplyDeleteI told Kathy when she has had discipline problems in the classroom that she has them now, and I get them later. There is something to be said for your friends comment to you about getting them first. It is close but not quite right. People like yourself, Deborah, Kathy and me are in important vocations, not jobs. We standby to assist people. We are in the "people business". But the most important people in the "people business" are parents. Junior needs a solid foundation established at home by moms and dads. Junior needs to learn right from wrong at home right from the start. Junior needs to have a strong moral foundation established before he or she ever gets on the school bus. Once the child is of age to attend school, he or she is often influenced more by teachers, friends and others more than mom and dad. Junior only spend 2 or 3 hours a day with parents after beginning school and all day with a world full of others. Thats why the parents are the most important...and our society and present culture, have broken this most important link. You can only pastor to a person with an open mind that allows you to reach out to them. Kathy can only teach those who want to learn. Deborah can only treat those who desire treatment and will allow follow up. I can only help those who are willing to help themselves.
I like your line about "grace will one day completely trump the law". That is one thing we know for sure will occur.
I will quit blowing off now. I hope the Angola experience did not make you a liberal (joking). Unfortunately in our society, we need those facilities to stop complete kaos.
wkg
Bill,
ReplyDeleteYou are right. I do understand that life as a law enforcement officer is never just "a day's work." Thank you for your perspective. We can only help those who wish to help themselves. Sadly, many people do not care about themselves or others.
As for Angola- I certainly believe that people who commit crimes should pay for them. I have come to believe, as well, that in some cases, a criminal can change his life by the power of Jesus Christ. It is possible, then for him/her to become a useful member of society. I do not know when that point is reached. I do think that after having heard from Angola's warden, chaplaincy staff, and some inmates, that in some cases, the possibility of parole should be considered. Most of them do not have that possibility. They are not necessarily asking for parole, just a shot at it, in some cases.
For this to happen, the laws in Louisiana have to change. Should I work and lobby to bring this about? That is a question I have been prayerfully considering since our visit to Angola.
It sounds like something that has touched you. I do not know Warden Cain, but I think I told you that I would like to. There is no doubt in my mind, that criminals can change through the word of the Lord. I have seen true remorse and God working in the life of some of these men. I am not exactly sure which laws you want to address, but I might be able to help you with some research.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that the Warden also explained to you some of the problems that come up with parole. In the late 1990's in Louisiana, Victim's Assistance programs got launched and victims and their families are to be notified when an inmate becomes eligible for parole (among other issues in regards to inmates). These families often come to these hearings and tell the board whether they approve or not of releasing these people early. More often than not, these families of victims or the victims themselves do not want the inmate released. The state often (more often than not) takes these victims requests to heart and the inmate remains in custody. Of course, things like the inmates good time and positive changes in the inmates life are considered, but if the inmate is incarcerated for a violent offense, the state is taking a chance on releasing him/her early. If that offender commits another violent offense after the state lets him/ her out early, it become a liability nightmare for the state.
The problem is that prisons are full of liars. Men who can look you in the eye and tell you what you want to hear, then do something completely opposite. The challenge if you enact legistlation or ammend laws on the books will to be releasing the right folks.
With prison overcrowding the way it is, a program to allow men and women out who can re-enter society would be great. How do you want to do it...halfway house, a work release program, or establish a program at a place like Angola where these folks pass some type of established protocol to leave prison and directly enter back into society. Some study of what works and what does not, needs to be done before lobbying legistlators. New programs are implimented daily around the country...some work and some don't. I will start reading and if you have the time, do the same. If it helps one man get his life turned around, then it is worth it. Also, look at putting whoever is getting released into some type of community programs...an outreach type thing where the inmate speaks or works in the community. It is good for the inmate and looks good to the public.
I think what you are trying to do is a good thing. Try to have a plan in place where you answer the questions before they can ask them. That will take some commitment.
Let me know wha you want me to do. I will pray on this also.
Bill