Before I get into any criticisms of Gov. Bobby Jindal or the prayer rally yesterday at the State Capitol, a few things need to be said.
This year was rough for Louisiana cops. Nine officers have died in the line of duty so far this year. Five were shot dead.
The people I talked to, besides one lady who rambled about how #BlackLivesMatter is really #BlackLiesMatter, seemed genuinely concerned about a perceived lack of respect for the great things law enforcement do for our communities.
With that said, the people at the rally are disconnected from reality if they think there is an epidemic of on-duty police deaths. The numbers don’t add up.
Last year, there were zero police officers shot dead on the job in Louisiana, according to The Advocate. Despite the tensions between police and citizens at an all-time high following Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, Missouri those numbers — or lack thereof — mean nobody was angry enough to shoot a cop.
In contrast, Louisiana police killed 15 people in 2014, one of whom was Cameron Tillman — a 14-year-old caught trespassing in an abandoned house.
If you think the officer responded appropriately, then you should probably stop reading this column now.
One of the officers who spoke at the rally equated the job police do with God’s work on earth. If God’s work is to harass and kill people, then Lucifer and I are going to be friends real soon.
Mid-year fatalities for law enforcement are down nationally from their most recent high in 2011, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
That same report shows something nobody at the rally mentioned: The number one killer of on-duty police officers is — wait for it — automobile accidents.
That’s right. The NLEOMF found more officers died from vehicle crashes than from being shot with a firearm. Unlike shooting deaths, there is a long-term increase in the number of police officers dying while driving.
So, why didn’t Jindal organize a rally for car airbag manufacturers to step up their standards? Why didn’t he call on the legislature to raise safety standards for police vehicles?
This rally was never about honoring dead cops. This was a shameful attempt from Jindal’s failing presidential campaign to boost his poll numbers, which are currently dismal enough to keep him out of the primetime Republican primary debate Wednesday.
Don’t let Jindal get away with pimping out dead cops for votes. He doesn’t deserve it.
Jack Richards is a 20-year-old mass communication junior from New Orleans. You can reach him on Twitter at @JayEllRichy.