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Erin Frances Bain is a senior at Dinwiddie High School in Dinwiddie, Virginia. She will be attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She plans to pursue a degree in Media Studies and English with a minor in Communications. She would eventually like to work for a major newspaper or magazine. "Newspapers are becoming increasingly obsolete in this age of technology and I hope to help the print media remain a force in gathering and reporting information." We believe she will achieve that goal. Local, state and national laws have existed in all parts of
the world for centuries. Inherent
in any society is also a body to enforce those laws and to protect the way of
life in that society. I have a
unique and especially objective point of view about local and state law
enforcement where I live in Dinwiddie County because of my part time job.
I work several hours a week during the school year and daily during the
summer at the Commonwealth Attorney’s office.
In addition to assisting the Commonwealth Attorney in the office, I have
the opportunity to see all of the hard work that law enforcement officers put
into the cases that they bring before the district and circuit courts. Officers fascinate me because of the amazing and often
heartfelt dedication they display in doing their jobs.
The officers of the Dinwiddie County Sheriff s Department as well as the
Dinwiddie branch of the State Police always exhibit a commitment to keeping our
community safe. The police officers
that I come in contact with through my job have helped to restore my faith in
the law enforcement community as a whole. With
the plethora of "bad cop" stories across the country in the last few
years, many Americans have lost respect for the men and women who protect them
as part of their daily lives. Media
reports often focus on the negative actions of police officers around the
country. A recent Time
magazine article titled "Gangsta Cops" reported on police scandal in
the city of Los Angeles. The
corrupt behavior of a few has played a large role in giving the many a bad name.
Fortunately, I live in a small, rural community where this kind of behavior does
not happen and people are not disillusioned about or fearful of the officers who
protect our homes and community. In working in the criminal justice system I have the
opportunity to learn more about the processes that go into something as simple
as a traffic conviction. Observing
these processes first hand has given me a new appreciation of the time
commitment required of the law enforcement community. The amount of work that officers put into even the most routine case demonstrates that they are among
the most dedicated professionals in the world.
The passion with which some of the officers pursue convictions in their
cases as well as the empathy they often exhibit for the victims of crimes is
extraordinary. I believe that the dedication that is required to be a police
officer is often unrivaled by that required for most other professions.
The daily strains put on a law enforcement officer are often enough to
test anyone's faith in both the criminal justice system and in humanity as a
whole. Officers are often forced to defend themselves against
physical and verbal abuse and a system that sometimes seems to give criminals
the upper hand. To become an
officer and stay one without losing all respect for those around you is a
challenge in and of itself. To stay
in the profession and believe in what you do despite of all the violence and
crime you see on a daily basis requires a commitment to community that cannot be
compared to that to any other profession. The job that is entrusted to those in law enforcement is mind
boggling to those who do not understand the concepts of responsibility or care
for their fellow man. Police
officers give themselves totally to the pursuit of justice in an increasingly
corrupt and amoral society. I
believe that the commitment that police officers exhibit to their jobs and to
the people that they are sworn to protect is something that few people fully
appreciate. I am glad to be counted
as one of those who does appreciate the diligence, hard work and dedication of
all of the law enforcement community, especially those officers in Dinwiddie
County who I have come to know and admire. Erin Francis Bain Click your BACK Button |
