Speech for Unity in our Nation
Below is a speech I wrote and delivered as an invited guest of the NAACP in Oneonta, NY as a message of hope and unity after tragic events continued to unfold across our nation in 2016:
"I want to start by thanking the NAACP and local clergy members for organizing this important vigil and for inviting me to speak. Thank you as well to all of the community members, law enforcement officials, and elected officials who have taken the time to attend this event. We are all here for the same reason, which is to mourn the losses of human life and to unify our collective efforts to improve our world.
As we see so frequently, we are living in an age where unspeakable acts of violence are perpetrated upon one another on a daily basis. These acts have become so numerous that many people have become numb to their occurrences. Some of the more recent examples which have made the headlines include a mother slitting the throats of her own daughters to make her ex-husband suffer; a jealous man pouring gasoline over his ex-girlfriend and lighting her on fire; a woman cutting the unborn fetus out of a pregnant woman’s womb in order to steal her baby; a man luring a child into an alley to shoot him in the head as retaliation against a rival gang member. As police officers we are on the front lines every day responding to and witnessing this violence play out. We are often expected to be able to fix a myriad of societal problems for which we do not have a remedy.
These problems to which I refer include: high levels of inequity and disparity between segments of our society; discrimination; a strong distinction between the haves and the have-nots; drug addiction; bullying; mental health issues; poverty, disease, educational inequality, and the list goes on. As an unfortunate correlation, we in law enforcement are ever cognizant of the fact that oftentimes those who suffer from these maladies have a higher chance of becoming entangled in the criminal justice system simply because of those circumstances into which they were born.
Our nation has become one in which we police a society where there is also a palpable mistrust of government at all levels, along with strong political divides between the supporters of each party. As we engage in the fundamentals of public safety, we are also constantly on guard for potential acts of terrorism, while at the same time battling the war on drugs and addressing crimes which are rooted in mental illness. And of course, there is the ever-growing problem of gun violence that we have become all too familiar with. In Chicago alone, 316 people have died this year from non-self-inflicted gun violence while another 1,823 people were wounded from gunfire. This year alone 28 law enforcement officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty and history has shown that many more will tragically lose their lives before the year ends, despite significant advances in training and technology.
The places which we used to think were safe (movie theaters, churches, schools, restaurants, college campuses, malls, etc.) have all been tainted by gun violence. We have witnessed this in Aurora, Colorado; Charleston, South Carolina; Newton, Connecticut; San Bernardino, California; Orlando, Florida; and most recently, Dallas, Texas. As we in law enforcement don our uniforms each day, we never know when or where that next act of gun violence may occur, nor do we know if a mass shooting incident or a singular attack on one of our lives or the life of a member of the public will occur. The United States of America is defined as one of the most advanced societies on the planet with technologies and scientific achievements that are completely astonishing. If, however, we cannot find a way to end the deaths and tragic events that are occurring so frequently, then all of our advancements are meaningless.
As Sir Robert Peel, the father of modern policing eloquently stated in 1829, “the police are the public and the public are the police.” By this he meant that we as police must work together with the members of our respective communities to not only create public safety, but to continually build trust as well. The powers vested in us as police are worthless if we do not have the trust of those we serve supporting our actions. We have all heard examples of officers who have betrayed their badge and who have committed acts which mar the image of the entire profession. Because of the small percentage of officers who have done wrong, the overwhelming majority of us who selflessly perform our duties each and every day must work hard to maintain or rebuild that public trust. As police officers we recognize the fact that we have a tremendous platform to do great things in society and although we can not fix all of society’s problems alone, we can certainly be a valuable resource towards achieving that end.
I believe that we as a society must start to look past our differences and begin to honestly work towards focusing on our commonalities. Irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, or socioeconomic status, we are all humans and our focus must be towards improving the conditions for all human beings. Whether as a community member, educator, clergy member, police officer, elected official, student, or homemaker, we all have a platform to make our world a better place. Open dialogue will be key and being willing to see from one another’s perspective will be essential in achieving results and eradicating the violence and senseless losses of life which continually plagues our nation.
As we go forth in the days, weeks, months, and years to come we must always remember those who have lost their lives and honor them by working together to make our society a safer place in which all people have the same opportunities, to live, raise a family, and enjoy all that life has to offer. It is only when this happens, that we can truly consider ourselves an advanced society. Thank You."
-Dennis R. Nayor, Chief of Police, City of Oneonta Police Department (July 2016)
"I want to start by thanking the NAACP and local clergy members for organizing this important vigil and for inviting me to speak. Thank you as well to all of the community members, law enforcement officials, and elected officials who have taken the time to attend this event. We are all here for the same reason, which is to mourn the losses of human life and to unify our collective efforts to improve our world.
As we see so frequently, we are living in an age where unspeakable acts of violence are perpetrated upon one another on a daily basis. These acts have become so numerous that many people have become numb to their occurrences. Some of the more recent examples which have made the headlines include a mother slitting the throats of her own daughters to make her ex-husband suffer; a jealous man pouring gasoline over his ex-girlfriend and lighting her on fire; a woman cutting the unborn fetus out of a pregnant woman’s womb in order to steal her baby; a man luring a child into an alley to shoot him in the head as retaliation against a rival gang member. As police officers we are on the front lines every day responding to and witnessing this violence play out. We are often expected to be able to fix a myriad of societal problems for which we do not have a remedy.
These problems to which I refer include: high levels of inequity and disparity between segments of our society; discrimination; a strong distinction between the haves and the have-nots; drug addiction; bullying; mental health issues; poverty, disease, educational inequality, and the list goes on. As an unfortunate correlation, we in law enforcement are ever cognizant of the fact that oftentimes those who suffer from these maladies have a higher chance of becoming entangled in the criminal justice system simply because of those circumstances into which they were born.
Our nation has become one in which we police a society where there is also a palpable mistrust of government at all levels, along with strong political divides between the supporters of each party. As we engage in the fundamentals of public safety, we are also constantly on guard for potential acts of terrorism, while at the same time battling the war on drugs and addressing crimes which are rooted in mental illness. And of course, there is the ever-growing problem of gun violence that we have become all too familiar with. In Chicago alone, 316 people have died this year from non-self-inflicted gun violence while another 1,823 people were wounded from gunfire. This year alone 28 law enforcement officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty and history has shown that many more will tragically lose their lives before the year ends, despite significant advances in training and technology.
The places which we used to think were safe (movie theaters, churches, schools, restaurants, college campuses, malls, etc.) have all been tainted by gun violence. We have witnessed this in Aurora, Colorado; Charleston, South Carolina; Newton, Connecticut; San Bernardino, California; Orlando, Florida; and most recently, Dallas, Texas. As we in law enforcement don our uniforms each day, we never know when or where that next act of gun violence may occur, nor do we know if a mass shooting incident or a singular attack on one of our lives or the life of a member of the public will occur. The United States of America is defined as one of the most advanced societies on the planet with technologies and scientific achievements that are completely astonishing. If, however, we cannot find a way to end the deaths and tragic events that are occurring so frequently, then all of our advancements are meaningless.
As Sir Robert Peel, the father of modern policing eloquently stated in 1829, “the police are the public and the public are the police.” By this he meant that we as police must work together with the members of our respective communities to not only create public safety, but to continually build trust as well. The powers vested in us as police are worthless if we do not have the trust of those we serve supporting our actions. We have all heard examples of officers who have betrayed their badge and who have committed acts which mar the image of the entire profession. Because of the small percentage of officers who have done wrong, the overwhelming majority of us who selflessly perform our duties each and every day must work hard to maintain or rebuild that public trust. As police officers we recognize the fact that we have a tremendous platform to do great things in society and although we can not fix all of society’s problems alone, we can certainly be a valuable resource towards achieving that end.
I believe that we as a society must start to look past our differences and begin to honestly work towards focusing on our commonalities. Irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, age, or socioeconomic status, we are all humans and our focus must be towards improving the conditions for all human beings. Whether as a community member, educator, clergy member, police officer, elected official, student, or homemaker, we all have a platform to make our world a better place. Open dialogue will be key and being willing to see from one another’s perspective will be essential in achieving results and eradicating the violence and senseless losses of life which continually plagues our nation.
As we go forth in the days, weeks, months, and years to come we must always remember those who have lost their lives and honor them by working together to make our society a safer place in which all people have the same opportunities, to live, raise a family, and enjoy all that life has to offer. It is only when this happens, that we can truly consider ourselves an advanced society. Thank You."
-Dennis R. Nayor, Chief of Police, City of Oneonta Police Department (July 2016)
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