For over 39 years I was a police officer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For 15 of those years I was the sheriff of Milwaukee County.

I've done everything you can do as a cop, from walking the beat to investigating murder

to running the agency.

I've met a lot of cops of every race, ethnicity and background.

Here's what I can tell you.

Cops are not perfect.

It's not a news flash, but this might be.

They don't have to be perfect.

They have to be excellent.

And most officers reach excellence every single day and often under very difficult circumstances.

Circumstances you can't imagine and wouldn't want to if you could.

Perfection is an unattainable goal.

Cops are ordinary human beings like everyone else, lawyers, surgeons and baseball players,

they make mistakes.

But no profession works harder to correct its mistakes.

You can mark social progress by the improvements made by police departments over the last 50

years.

Today police are more professional, better educated and better trained than at any time

in their history.

You wouldn't know it though if you listened to self-serving, self-righteous politicians

and activists.

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