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By Abdellatif Sharaa
in my early years, my mother used to threaten me with calling a policeman or taking me to the doctor if I did not stop being rowdy or causing too much noise! And I can tell you that did not work every time, yet the image of a policeman with a stone face remained looming.
I may have been lucky enough not to really have a genuine fear of policemen, and sometimes I played the role of a policeman in games whenever we had a chance in schools or the neighborhood, but that does not mean many children will remain in fear of policemen when they grow older.
A definition of police says: "Body of officers representing the civil authority of government. Police typically are responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law and preventing, deterring and investigating criminal activities. These functions are known as policing".
The policeman is usually trained to help in emergencies, first aid and rescue. Policemen are usually the first responders to places where people are in need of help or are sick. In many cases, policemen are the first responders to car accidents or fire, for example, before paramedics and firemen arrive at the scene. Lives and properties are protected by police who enforce the law, besides patrolling areas to prevent crimes from occurring.
Policemen rush to the help of an elderly man or a woman trying to cross the street, guide a blind individual to the right path towards a certain destination, and help a child find his parents on the beach, in a mall or even in a neighborhood.
Contrary to what many parents are doing to scare their children from policemen, they should inform them that when there is a problem, the first person you should refer to is a policeman. Because if this continues, children will remain scared even when they grow up, and this fear may extend to all uniformed personnel and not only police.
Yes, I understand that there are few, very few, bad apples, but that is the exception, and with their behavior, they are in violation of the law they are supposed to enforce and uphold, but this does not mean that all police are bad or evil. We must reconsider the way we raise our children, and keep them in touch with professionals that they may need one day, such as policemen, doctors, dentists and oh yes, teachers!
Final word: "My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place - police, firefighters and members of our armed forces." - Sidney Sheldon
