Editor’s Note: In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. This week’s essay comes from PoliceOne Member Noah Waters, who writes in appreciation of one of his favorite PoliceOne Contributors. Do you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members? Send us an e-mail with your story.
By Noah Waters
Prince George’s County, Maryland
When they’re at their best, journalists work diligently to hone their talent to produce the stories that peak our interests, time-and-time again. These individuals are able to awaken emotions and feelings that reside deep inside us, and to calm sentiments that are contrary to our sense of peace. As wordsmiths, they use words to paint the mental pictures that convey their stories. They guide us, teach us, and enlighten us. Much of our worldview is supplied from the pen of journalists.
When they’re at their worst, purveyors of etymological incantation do little more than bring out the worst in their subjects, in their readers, and themselves. I won’t dwell on that second set, but instead on the special few who fall into the first group. It takes a special scribe to consistently recognize the best in people. That’s why I look forward to the columns on Police1 from Karen Bune, a journalist who uses her talent and penchant for writing to uplift those who are entrusted to serve us.
Whether it is a police officer, firefighter, government worker, or private citizen, Karen focuses on the good deeds of individuals. There is something about her writing that inspires achievement and goodwill toward others.
Karen seems to be called to uplift us. Much of what is conveyed comes from the heart...through her articles and anecdotes of human benevolence, bravery, sacrifice, and triumph, Karen writes about our virtues.
In my opinion, there is no better advocate for first responders, political leaders, policy makers, teachers, entrepreneurs, or everyday-people. Although she has a soft spot for the courage of police officers, her focus broadens to capture the deeds of those who enrich our safety and quality of life. Karen is not afraid to face controversy and does not automatically take the populist view. She showed tremendous courage when she publicly fought to save the job of a police officer who was bashed by mainstream media. She learned that two officers of the same department acted in self-defense regarding identical incidents — the first officer was negatively depicted by the media and threatened with termination, the second officer was not characterized by the media and faced no form of reprimand.
Although both officers acted in self-defense, these occurrences demonstrated Karen’s impeccable sense of fairness. Not only will she acclaim the hero but she will also fight for the underdog.
Appropriately, when images of government officials, police officers, and business leaders are stained by alleged acts of malfeasance — or outright criminal behavior — we need to know there is still reason to be proud. Karen acknowledges the bad but focuses on the good. She is the aspiring Ann Landers of the law enforcement community and the Joel Osteen of positive reporting.
As a journalist, with a local and national audience, Karen is a credit to the media. Instead of concentrating on disaster, mayhem, and human frailty, she writes about our strengths.
In life, there are always going to be setbacks and human imperfections. A part of growing as a species is that we work toward minimizing negatives. When we over emphasize the negative and ignore the positive, we somehow empower the negative and take away our ability to solve problems. The problem, often times, is not that we have problems...maybe the best way to face problems is not to sensationalize problems but is to emphasize solutions, possibility, what is good about people, and Karen does that so eloquently.
Karen looks at individuals, whether they are affiliated with the police, a church, a mosque, a synagogue, a school, a community, Congress, or a coalition of custodians working to provide for their families, and sees the core. She understands that when police officers, church leaders, and politicians fall from grace that it is the core of society that takes up the slack. Like a flag-bearer in war, Karen picks up the flag...her pen...and waves it to show others there is still hope, there is still goodness, the battle is not lost...we are victorious!
I think we owe a debt of thanks to her, for she recognizes the core of humanity. She is elevated by her attitude and is able to see...not from a perch that is too high but she sees through her caring and hears the voices that are low. Often from the ranks of the core, Karen describes the protagonist...the hero...drawn from the masses of obscurity. They represent the paradox, depicted as ignoble, basal souls…the benchmark of those barely at the fringes of greatness. Ironically, it is this un-bequeathed core that saves the day, rights the wrongs, and sustains justice. It is in this core that I believe we find Karen’s heart. Through her journalistic flare she invites all to climb the precipice and to look down upon the indomitable human spirit. It is from this mountain of hope that she asserts the power of the pen.
