Out of the blue, there for you

Arfee notwithstanding, local police are on your side.

We were reminded of that Wednesday night when a Coeur d'Alene police officer rapped on The Press newsroom window, which looks toward Second Street. Because drunks and other pranksters seem to get a kick out of pounding on that window while steely eyed journalists labor against unrelenting deadlines, nobody paid any attention. Maybe they were watching football on the newsroom TV. Anyway, the rapping picked up pace and volume.

Finally, someone recognized that it was a peace officer out there, and admission was quickly granted. He came in from the cold - and we do mean cold, because across the street, a dog was stuck to a fire hydrant. The officer quickly explained that the PD had received a 911 call from the Coeur d'Alene Press, and he was ushered through the building looking for the caller.

As it turns out, there was no emergency. According to the officer, telemarketers (yes, we have them at The Press) sometimes inadvertently trigger 911, and that's what happened in this case. But he was as gracious as he was professional, and the veteran police officer's quick response was greatly appreciated.

The best Kevlar vests can't protect cops from criticism. Like workers throughout the public arena, a glaring error or lapse in judgment can cast a dark shadow over many, many other actions that are right and good. That makes it easier for some to diminish the value of the product; in this case, those charged with the public's safety.

Though sometimes valuable, criticism should be compartmentalized and kept in proper perspective. When you need a cop or a fireman - and sometimes, even when you don't - you'll be glad they're there.