It's a painful dilemma. I don't hate cops. I know we need them. I've been aided by them more than once. But those good cops don't ever seem to do anything about the general problem.

I'm sure there are factors at work that I don't know about, but I don't know how the good cops I worked with can stay in blue after watching these murders.

I played golf with a captain of my town's force (a big town) right when the killings were first all over SM. I asked what he felt about it. He said the problem is that they just can't find qualified candidates. He said that most the shootings came from young cops, but there wasn't anyone else to hire.

I don't know if he was being straight with me. But I do feel it is the same problem we have with teachers: if you want better people in the job, you make the job more attractive to the right people. I don't want the police defunded. I want more money in that direction (along with teachers) combined with training and standards that require accountability by making their employment one-egregious-mistake-and-they're-gone.

There are other people like yourself out there, Carol, but especially in this economy, we have to make it so they can serve and also have a life.