This letter is in response to the editorial, “Don’t tase me bro.”

Yeah. I saw the YouTube video. It looked brutal. Even though the video is shocking, it does not mean the police were in the wrong.

I would assume that the party at College Towers wasn’t a Coke and pizza kind of party. It’s not unreasonable to think that someone who has been drinking at a party is likely to argue or become belligerent. It is unreasonable to think that a uniform officer would knock on someone’s door with intent to use force on the occupant. I trust that using force is the last thing an officer would want to do when responding to a call.

I have seen “Cops.” There was even an episode where a drunken man with a gun was arrested two blocks from where I used to live. It took several squad cars of officers pointing their firearms at the man to get him to submit. Watching that episode made me glad we have officers who put their lives on the line to keep my neighborhood safe.

They never know when someone might do something stupid, especially when dealing with individuals who are intoxicated, which is why they must take every threat seriously. I’m glad we have officers here in Kent who put themselves in difficult positions for our safety and security.

Did Mr. McFarland consider that he has neighbors who have church service and work on Sunday morning? While it’s nice to have some fun in life, there are people in that building who need to sleep at night and have a right to some quiet hours. The police were not there to harass anyone. They were acting on behalf of the students and other residents of College Towers who want quiet time. Those are the students who deserve our sympathy, not Mr. McFarland.

It’s unfair to compare the Kent City Police to the “Gestapo, roaming the streets.” They are there to serve and protect. Sure, their mission may sometimes conflict with our fun, but we are the ones who must be accountable for our actions. We must be respectful to the police, even when they are wrong. If they are wrong, confronting them or arguing with them is asking for trouble. We have a legal system to deal with valid complaints of injustice.

The Kent police deserve our respect and appreciation. It is wrong to assume that they are out to harass students or cause harm. The police act on behalf of our safety and security. If they are treated with respect, there is never any need for them to use force.

Michael Tidrick is a senior economics major and guest columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.