If Crying Were a Crime

I have know for some time that police and firefighter contracts must be revisited and revised. I have known that there are some majors that need to be addressed with the department and the way they police, in particular minority communities. But I am appalled by the new low they have slipped to with their citywide billboards. One says " welcome to California's 2nd most dangerous city" and another " Dear Stockton residents, we can no longer gurantee your safety." Which is it, if they were providing gurantees of safety then why are we the 2nd most dangerous city, on their watch? The most troublesome sign is one that uses a tally of Stockton's murders so far as. The undertones are threatening as if to say more trouble is on they way from which only they can protect us. The police do no exist to protect, or prevent, they are reactionary. All of the police in the world can not change the crime in Stockton as long as we have 18% unemployment, 24% below the poverty line, and a 54% drop out rate. Their contracts are plush as it is, yet they expect to be immune from the effects of an economically troubled tax base that provides for their salaries. We cannot exist as a city soley to support police and firefighters, the mojaority of which don't even live in the city they've sworn to serve and protect. Their behavior in using Stockton's misfortune, as well as the victims of homicide, as a bargaining chip is unprofessional and unbecoming. They have a choice to take slight cuts and concessions in lieu of layoffs and last time they chose layoffs, then cried like it was forced on them. So the question remains, are they more concerned with upholding their oaths and protecting the public or their pockets?