Thread by @Bossy_Leah

I wanna talk about the hill I’m willing to die on. A thread:

Officer involved domestic violence. Some studies say it occurs at 2-4 times the rate of the civilian population. Now. Before I go any further I want to make it absolutely clear that I am pro law enforcement. What I am not, is someone willing to be quiet.

My husband of almost a decade was charged in July. His department refused to take his gun or at the very least put him on leave while a 7 month investigation took place. They had access to a recording of him admitting years of abuse.

He was ultimately charged with three counts of DV. His department ALLOWED HIM TO RESIGN. This is not an uncommon occurrence in SC, and definitely not uncommon with the Spartanburg County Sheriffs Office.

My argument for @SheriffWrightSC is this: I know the majority of law enforcement is good. Why. Why. Why do you protect, turn a blind eye to, or even DEFEND the ones who aren’t?

This is a recent article detailing the problem within the Spartanburg county sheriffs office. wsoctv.com/news/south-car… 4 cops in SIX MONTHS. This isn’t a fluke. This is a environment where it’s enabled and ignored.

Our Sheriff said of one of the recent deputies arrested after CHOKING HIS CHILD AND WIFE AND POINTING A GUN AT THEM: “Gary is a really nice guy and he just made a bad choice.” What?! What kind of message are you sending to victims, Chuck?

I’m not just here to have a bitch fest and offer no solutions because that’s not who I am. 1. LE should never. Ever. Protect bad apples with the good ole boy system. 2. Two of these cases, the perpetrators were convicted and served no jail time. THIS SHOULD NEVER BE THE CASE.

And lastly, soldiers in constant stressful situations that involve violence get yearly counseling. Why don’t officers? They shouldn’t have to ASK FOR IT. It should be mandatory.

We expect these guys to come home and just turn it off? They aren’t robots. They are humans. They are imperfect and plenty of them would benefit from being able to talk about the stresses of the job.

Imagine being in a position of authority where sometimes your survival is based on whether someone obeys and complies? Then imagine trying to just turn that off when you get home. I am not just taking this argument to Twitter. I’m taking it to law makers.

Our law enforcement should have mandatory mental health check ups. They should have training focused on how to deal with law enforcement AND home life. Families of law enforcement officers should have more resources to help with anger issues, and substance abuses.

And the good cops......should WANT this. It makes the entire force healthier. Hold eachother accountable. Support eachother. If you see an issue, help your brother or sister.

Rant. Over.