Social Worker or Law Enforcer?
By Danny Watson, Darlington Chief of Police
Over the last several years our agency has done a great number of things to help those who are less fortunate. We have enlisted businesses, government agencies and the good hearted souls of our jurisdiction to get this done. To my great dismay, I have been asked repeatedly by members of the public, as well as, by law enforcement “Are you a social worker or a law enforcer”? Officers who have asked me this question are now doing some of the same things we have already done. Does that mean it was a good idea? Is this a shift in the paradigm? Have others realized that helping people is an important part of being a police officer? Probably not, but whether others realize it or not it is an important part of what we do.
I have often heard that no good deed goes unpunished. Puzzling as this may seem it really comes down to one thing. When you go out to help, someone benefits from that work. Sadly we can’t help everyone. Our job, our calling is to help as many people as we can without making the situation worse. When as a law enforcer you see a need and you can help shouldn’t you do that? There are those who are so short sighted they can’t see beyond their own self-interest.
So when presented with this problem how do you continue forward? Philippians 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” We will serve the interests of others. It’s simply a calling and that calling is to serve. The hope we harbor is that others will see what we do and follow our example. (Just as we have done incidentally) There will always be those who are unhappy no matter what happens. People can do great things in their communities in spite of naysayers it’s a matter of choosing to act. After all having a great community is in everyone’s interest. We choose to do that very thing and we hope you will as well.
Chief Danny Watson MPA FBI NA # 228, Chief of Police for City of Darlington, has been on the Darlington Police Department since 1994 and Chief since 2011.You can keep up with the department on their Facebook page: Darlington Police Department.
