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Fair or Not? Police Officer Penalized for Off-Duty Domestic Violence

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I find domestic violence appalling.  In fact, I find violence in general to be disturbing to the extreme.  I’m one of those annoying Pollyanna-esque folks always looking for the best in others, and violence invariably puts dents in my little bubble of denial.

But I am also all about fairness.

Which is why I found myself feeling … well, torn, I guess as I watched the news over my morning coffee today to see WMUR reporting that New Hampshire police officer William Soucy was being taken off patrol duty as the result of a domestic violence incident from last April.

Is a man with a propensity toward violence probably the best bet to be patrolling the streets of the Granite State’s largest city?  No.  Should police officers be expected to hold their tempers and avoid violence if at all possible?  Absolutely.

Does anyone know what really happened in April at Soucy’s home?  Well, besides Soucy and the other party(ies) involved, no.

Which leads to quite a conundrum …

Like Soucy, I am in a profession where the standard is higher than for your average Joe Blow.  In general, that doesn’t bother me.  As a teacher, I know that I am an automatic role model; that came with the territory, and I knew it when I signed my first contract.

So I don’t buy alcohol in the town where I teach.  I won’t drive if I’ve had more than a couple of beers.  I am paranoid when someone else breaks out a bag of weed when I’m at a get together.  I don’t stick up banks or trespass or skinnydip in public locations.  My profession has forced me to be a better person than I would probably have been otherwise, and I appreciate that.

But there is still a question of equity regarding why careers in education and law enforcement lead to a higher standard.

If Officer Soucy cashiered at Wal-Mart or worked as a big-time executive or landscaped for a living, this would not have been a news story.  In fact, it’s more than likely that his employment status would not be impacted in the least.

Domestic violence is wrong.

But so is injustice …

Thoughts?


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