Police can’t protect some of us until they protect all of us

First-person essay by Ada Perlman

Compelling personal stories
told by the people living them.

In early September, my mom came home from the Squirrel Hill Farmers’ Market crying. She had just witnessed a police officer force and handcuff a civilian to the ground. The reason for this inhumane treatment? The civilian had commented on the officer’s facemask, which was stylized with the Thin Blue Line flag, questioning why the officer would disrespect the American flag. Hearing this first-hand account, I could tell the police officer, who was working off-duty security, was abusing his role.

Though his job is to protect and serve, he was doing far from that.

In recent years, we have seen this abuse of power by Pittsburgh police over and over. As a young, white Jewish woman, I know I’m less likely to feel this abuse than other Pittsburghers, but police can’t protect only certain parts of the community.

My father, the rabbi of New Light Congregation, owes his life to the Pittsburgh police. They helped him escape the 2018 Tree of Life shooting. I am so grateful to the police for responding effectively and efficiently during this moment of crisis. In this case, the police were doing their job and risking their own lives to protect citizens. However, based on incidents of police brutality and harassment, it’s clear that police have been picking and choosing whom to protect.  

In my father’s situation, the police chose to protect the Jewish community. While in that other case my mother witnessed, the officer chose to harass this civilian. While the gravity of the incidents is different, I think it’s wrong that officers would respond heroically to one incident and act so disrespectfully in another. After questioning the officer, the civilian was told he was blocking an exit, and, according to the city, resisted arrest before being told a Taser might be used if he didn’t comply.

We can’t make the excuse that the officer at the farmers’ market, Paul Abel, was a “bad” cop — he works for a system that is not all that “good.” Theoretically, the idea of policing in order to protect citizens is a good thing; however, the system allows police officers to harass those they disagree with, and we know from countless tragedies across the country that confrontations with police can turn deadly.

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Police can’t protect some of us until they protect all of us

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