It doesn't happen often, but occasionally an officer has to ticket or arrest a friend or one of the friend's family members . . . and the friend feels betrayed by his/her law enforcement neighbor.

In law enforcement, we don't have the option of treating our friends differently than other citizens. The open records law makes it easy to find and to punish unprofessional law enforcement officers who sabatoge the public trust of their departments by violating the law enforcement code of conduct with preferential treatment for their friends and associates.

We don't enjoy ticketing or arresting friends.

At the same time though, we aren't able to forget the broken bodies of other friends who were struck by drivers under the influence, friends who killed themselves or others while driving impaired, friends or their children thrown from their automobile on impact with another automobile because they were not wearing seatbelts, and more.

We'll regret those heart-breaking experiences a lot longer than we will the ticket we gave you, because you're still with us.

Please buckle up and drive safely!