Doing the Right Thing

June 5, 2020

Sadly, police brutality and the code of silence among fellow officers is nothing new or something unique to America. My great grandfather John White was a police officer in the city of Sterling in Scotland in the late 1880’s. One day he observed the physical abuse of persons in custody by one or more fellow police officers and subsequently reported the incident. The negative reaction to his reporting was so severe that he was forced to leave both the police force and the city, resulting in my grandparents and their family of 10 children immigrating to America.

My great grandfather’s decision has always been an example for me and a reminder that doing the right thing is important, but often comes with a cost.