The Responsibilities of The Citizenry to its Tax-Funded Public Safety Workers (Police/Firefighters/EMS etc.)

We, as taxpayers, citizens, and residents of the communities in which we live, expect a level of professional and responsible service from our elected public officials who oversee and manage our local, state, and national government.

We expect these elected officials to, within budget, hire responsible, qualified and professional personnel for all areas of Public Service. We also expect these elected officials to provide support, both material and legal, to these personnel and departments within budgetary restraints.

However, this is not always the case. Public Safety Departments are frequently under-funded and under-staffed. Equipment and material needs are not always met, and sometimes unqualified and irresponsible people are put in positions and given responsibilities they cannot fulfill. Yet, these departments still expect their personnel to meet the often rigorous demands of public service, up to and including placing their lives at risk.

There is a quote that explains how many of you must feel:

 We are the unwilling, led by the unqualified, to do the unnecessary, for the ungrateful."  ~John Corry, A Vietnam Veteran

Many times, we are sure that you feel this quote describes Standard Operating Procedure for you workplace, and sometimes, sadly, it is. Even so, you are still expected to fulfill your basic responsibilities to the community to the best of your ability. That's how you earn your pay. However, there are times that go far beyond what the job calls for, and though you will certainly do your best, you may be overwhelmed by some extreme, unexpected situations that may arise. In these situations, have you let the public down? NO! NOT AT ALL! IT IS TIMES LIKE THESE WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS LET YOU DOWN and you require their assistance.

As members of the public in general, we expect services rendered for the tax dollars we pay, and so do you. We go to work every day to earn money to maintain or improve our standard of living, and so do you. Part of that standard of living is maintained with the tax dollars we pay to sustain community government and public services that keep us safe from crimes, fires, and other disasters or emergencies. This allows us to work without worry about our families and homes so that we can continue to maintain and improve our economy and our standard of living.

However, when unexpected situations occur that put an overwhelming strain on these public services and personnel, tax dollars alone cannot always resolve the immediate matter at hand. These events require public assistance and support for the professionals that we, the community, have place in harm's way. It is OUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY to assist our Public Service professionals in any way we can, after all:

WE PUT THEM THERE!!!

Here are some examples where the public MUST provide assistance:

DISASTERS, whether natural or man made, can quickly overwhelm emergency services. A prepared public can assist by not being a burden, by providing basic first aid, or helping to transport injured to area hospitals and clinics. A prepared citizenry can also help by assisting neighbors with food, water, or shelter, and by helping to maintain security and order.

CRIME repeatedly occurs when people fail to become involved, or when they refuse to report what they know, or when they fail to take steps necessary to defend their lives, their homes, or their property. An actively, involved community can assist law enforcement in many ways, such as forming CB Patrols or Neighborhood Watches. Simply calling the local police when we are aware of crime or suspicious activity can be a big help.

INVASION of a community by gangs, rioters, or unlawful mobs will put an overwhelming strain on every public safety department.  In such cases, prepared citizens can assist you with some of the less critical aspects of dealing with this, such as traffic control, crowd control, observing and reporting, rolling out fire hoses, communications, and other areas of support. Plus, it will be a big morale boost to know that the community is actively on your side.

TERRORISM is an unfortunate reality of the world today. Its true power is when people focus on it and live in fear, instead of conducting our daily lives. We should all enjoy the best of times today, but always be prepared for the worst of times, as well. Citizens who can defend themselves, and maintain security in their neighborhood are much less likely to require your immediate assistance, leaving you free to help someone with a greater need.

TYRANNY from elected and appointed officials will not only oppress the general citizenry, but also oppress and mistreat public employees, as well. In times like these, everyone needs to act together in order to restore a properly functioning community and government. Trust and support between the citizens and our public servants is critical in times of tyranny. The citizenry should never have to fear you, and you should never be afraid of the citizenry, because when hard times arrive, we will need each other.

CIVIC MINDED CITIZENS have taken First Responder courses, amateur radio classes, organized neighborhood watches and CB patrols, and formed up local civilian militia units for their own public safety, and to provide additional support for you, should the need ever arise.

To find out more, feel free to explore www.michiganmilitia.com.