Page 13 - Community Newsletter :: Spring 2021

photoshopped pictures as “click bait” to draw the viewer in and then share the information. Not all media outlets are bad, but unfortunately, this type of media will most likely never go away.
Sadly, some of our police officers are feeling the current trend of the sense of hatred by some of the public towards them or their profession. They feel society is quick to blame the officer and places the fault of the incident squarely onto their shoulders if something goes wrong while on duty. Police officers can face a variety of problems through the course of their shift, but none more worrisome than having to physically defend themselves against a violent suspect only to be villainized by the media, social media and ultimately, the public. Undeserved backlash can leave an officer feeling misunderstood and their careers overshadowed by false or misconstrued information caused by social media and the media in general.
Others voice concerns over the demand of rising duties that an officer may be responsible for on a day-to-day
#WeAreElCentro
basis. They take on the many responsibilities that their job demands such as being a protector, counselor, medic, social worker, judicial officer and many other roles that they may encounter. For some, juggling more duties can cause more stress, for others the opportunity to do more and see more only adds to the dedication they feel towards their profession.
Like many professions and employees today, officers can be faced with lower wages, longer hours and paying for the high cost of health benefits. Aside from what some officers feel they may be lacking, an upside is many are looking forward to a new Police Station that is coming soon to El Centro.
Above all, our local officers are very dedicated to their profession, their city and most of all the residents and businesses of El Centro. An El Centro police officer called it a “personal calling” to be a police officer. Another said, “I would not go to another agency given the opportunity. El Centro Police Department is the best agency in the Valley.”
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