Law, Justice and Leadership

The theme for November's educational adventures has been "Law and Justice," and I've tried to take full advantage of the opportunities Leadership SC has organized for us.

During one of those opportunities yesterday -- a ride along with the Snohomish PD -- I was reminded that law enforcement and academics often see themselves on opposite political sides. Academics like me - I am a member of the Edmonds Community College faculty - certainly have an unflatteringly "liberal" reputation. Ouch!

After hearing representatives from Corrections, from various sheriff and police offices, from public defenders, and from Juvenile and Drug Courts, however, lament the effects of our state's budget crisis, I'm convinced that we, as public servants, are more alike than unalike.

This claim was met with resistance when I floated it yesterday, so let me explain the similarities I see:

1. All of us working in the community as employees of Washington state possess education and training that make us professionals at the jobs we're entrusted to do. We want to serve the segment of the public that requests our help, and we want to achieve success and growth in our own personal careers.

2. We are also all regularly called to perform services that exceed and expand our baseline job descriptions. The officers I worked with yesterday did not simply pull over speeders and apprehend crooks. They built relationships with teenagers and encouraged them to stay in school. They provided mediation and sympathy for people in crisis. They took a personal and active interest in the safety and health of people suffering from mental illness. These are daily facets of my job, as well.

3. We are increasingly asked to do our jobs, and more!, with decreasing resources. And our salaries are the smallest part of this complaint. My limitations in serving my students mirror the limitations faced by all of the representatives of the "law and justice" community we've heard from this month. We all know that prevention and crisis support are far more effective than penalties and neglect, and we know that these services require funding! Say what you will about taxes, but all of our institutions rely on them...

I know it's not polite to discuss politics, but doing so once this common ground is explicitly established makes for a productive, if not vote- or political-party-changing, conversation. I am grateful to be reminded of this.