Victims . . . . do not have to be victims.

I have oftened wondered why it is always the police chiefs that are pro gun control and not the cop on the beat.

The following is a copy of an email sent to the Virginia Citizens Defense League from a Officer from the Chesapeake Police Department. I think one of the most notable things in the email is his/her comments on the victim mentality of the people he has met on his watch.

--

Mr. Van Cleave,

I'd like to express my thanks for what you and your organization have
done to make Virginia safer.

It seems to me that each call I respond to ends in the victim asking
for my co-workers and I to "increase patrols in the area." It doesn't
take a lot of imagination to translate that request into what they
are really asking for: personal armed bodyguards.

Our manpower is limited, and we obviously cannot increase patrols
everywhere, so who can we turn to when additional protection is need
for the community?

The community itself.

Self-protection has become far too rare and an enormous amount of
victims simply allow themselves to be victimized.

What people need to learn is that criminals will always be criminals.
We, as a race, have dealt with them since the beginning of time and
it does not appear to be a battle that we will win anytime soon.

Victims, however, do not have to be victims.

Sincerely,

[name withheld]
Police Officer
Chesapeake Police Department