CARTOON: Law enforcement standards have lowered across U.S.

Today’s Mike Smith cartoon somewhat misses the mark. Instead of singling out Memphis PD, it should say American law enforcement. In the late ’70s — early ’80s, hiring standards were lowered across the country in order to put bodies in the seats of patrol cars.

As you know well, North Idaho has become a haven for retired law enforcement officers, like me. No secret, a few years back author C.J. Box wrote a novel, “Blue Heaven,” which highlighted the influx of retired cops, deputies and state troopers who moved here. It should come as no surprise that the lowered standards came at the price of increased issues of misconduct by sworn officers.

The lowering of hiring standards continues to this day. I don’t think it would be hard to research and document that lowering of standards has increased the incidents of police misconduct.

Don’t take my word for it, ask your neighbors.

DWIGHT VAN HORN

Kootenai County