It takes a fallen hero for us to think

Why is it that it always takes a tragedy for people to realise how much they rely on someone or an organisation so much?

The tragic death in the line of duty of Hawke's Bay policeman Len Snee is a highlight of exactly what I'm talking about.

The tributes that are flowing for the slain officer show he was a fine, upstanding pillar of the New Zealand community.

As are many of the police who protect and serve New Zealand communities.

They do their jobs usually with very little recognition at all.

It is, unfortunately, only when tragedy strikes that we really think about what is happening on our streets each day.

Senior Constable Len Snee was gunned on the job.

He was doing the job he had done for years.

He was a career cop and from what we have read, seen and heard over the past day very good at his job and well regarded by the community he chose to serve.

More often than not police in this country are subject to the absolute filth of society.

They have to deal with the drug dealers, the drunks, the robbers, the thugs, the drink drivers and all the other criminals that you can think of.

More often than not we just expect them to do it.

We don't really take the time to think about the fact that they have families waiting for them at home like the rest of us.

We don't usually take in to account that they are putting their lives on the line everytime they are on duty.

And, unfortunately, there is an element of New Zealand society who strive to take a cop down. There are people out there who given the chance would try to attack a police officer.

So why is it that we take these people for granted?

Most of us have grown up respecting the police and the men and women who chose to serve as police officers.

I grew up knowing that if I did something wrong there was a good chance I'd be in trouble with the police.

And I have managed to get on the wrong side of the law - albeit minor issues in my younger years.

And I now have good friends who are police officers.

But now the criminals are not so afraid and the younger people in some communities are growing up to despise rather than respect the police.

And that's an absolute disgrace.

In my opinion the police are not given the backing from the Government and Parliament to effectively control the problem parts of New Zealand society.

They are fighting with one arm tied behind their backs.

The National and ACT election campaigns last year were based on getting tough on the crims.

And forgive me if I'm wrong but I haven't seen any sign of the policies they said were going to be put in place.

Where is the three strikes policy?

Where is the emphasis on putting the dangerous criminals in jail?

And why are the police not getting the level of support they need to fight crime?

Let me know what you think.