This is a story about cops doing what they’re supposed to do

Listen to Dave Ross Commentary: This is a story about cops doing what they’re supposed to do

Good cops, difficult as it is, are supposed to turn in bad cops. Seattle Police Chief John Diaz says that is exactly what his officers did with patrolman Richard F. Nelson:

“They had some concerns about Officer Nelson’s handling of drug evidence,” said Diaz.

So the brass decided to conduct what’s called an integrity test; have an informant turn in some cocaine and see what Nelson would do. Sadly, he kept the drugs. So Officer Nelson was arrested and booked into jail. They took his badge, took his gun, then released him without bail, and a commander drove him home.

A few hours later, Officer Nelson went to a popular hiking trail near his home and shot himself. Colleagues are in shock:

“Despite what actions this officer took, he was a friend to many,” said Deputy Chief Nick Metz.

No one knows exactly what went through Officer Nelson’s mind, but he certainly knew that his career was over. He knew that as someone who had sent others to jail for drug crimes, there would be no slack for him.

But this our War on Drugs. This is how we try to stop drugs from ruining lives, by ruining more lives.

Some colleagues of Officer Nelson want to know why the department couldn’t just take him aside and give him some help instead of setting him up to be arrested?

Well, because that would be a double standard.

If the cops discovered that you were hoarding illegal drugs, they would launch a sting and lock you up.

That’s what we, through our laws, have told them to do: end drug abuse by arresting people.

We have criminalized human frailty and sometimes it means we devour our own.

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