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Enough already with professional profiling

It is time to stand up, speak up and put an end to profession profiling in America

Editor’s Note: The following article originally appeared on Brian Willis’ blog site, and he has been kind enough to allow use to reprint it.

You have likely done it.

You may have been the target of it.

The time has come to say enough is enough: stop profession profiling.

It usually starts with the words:

All lawyers
All salesmen
All CEOs
All politicians
All media people
All cops

Enough already. It is inappropriate to lump all lawyers, politicians and members of the media into a single group and profile based on profession.

What has me incensed right now is the campaign by some politicians, special interest groups, athletes and people in the media to portray the men and women of law enforcement as racist thugs who are applying the law differently based on the color of your skin. They would like you to believe that “cops” are maliciously targeting and murdering young black men in America. All of this is crap.

There are close to one million brave men and women in North America who have chosen to serve their community and their country by taking the oath, putting on a uniform and serving as law enforcement professionals. They put their lives on the line every day. More than 60,000 of them are assaulted every year, more than 100 of them die in the line of duty every year (113 so far in 2014), more than 150 of them will take their own lives every year, and thousands more will be injured (some permanently disabled) serving their communities.

The people who are screaming the loudest are claiming law enforcement professionals consistently use ‘racial profiling’ as a tool to target certain members of society. These same people make global statements about “cops in America” and are disparaging one of the most demanding, challenging, honorable, complex and important professions in North America. They are guilty of profession profiling. Where is the outcry about this type of profiling? Where are the citizens, politicians, athletes and media people who need to stand up, speak up and stop this injustice?

It is time to stand up, speak up and put an end to profession profiling in America. The men and women of law enforcement (and every other profession) in North America deserve better.

Brian Willis is an internationally-recognized thought leader, speaker, trainer, and writer. Brian serves as the Deputy Executive Director for the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association and is President of the training company Winning Mind Training. Brian was a full time police officer with the Calgary Police Service from 1979 to 2004. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution and commitment to Officer Safety in Canada and was named Law Officer Trainer of the Year for 2011.
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