Public Safety is one of the fundamental needs of any society and providing the service is the duty of an elected government in a viable democracy. Just as a society should not let a fox guard the hen house, those who enter the professions of Public Safety need to be carefully selected and trained to be responsible stewards for those they serve. Personal biases and conflicts of interest when co-mingled with the delivery of public safety, the public trust will be eroded resulting in conflicts between those serving and those being served. The irony in such a situation is that the ones being served fund via the mechanism of tax the compensation for those who serve. At a time when the relationships between communities and public safety professionals are in peril, there is no better time to seek ways to turn the tide. It is imperative that we find a path forward rooted in ethical leadership for our collective safety and empowerment.
