Every police officer should thank the Peachtree City police officer who was working the road block at the intersection of Holly Grove Road and Robinson Road, Saturday morning, Aug. 22. He did a fantastic job of alienating the police from the public and reinforcing negative stereotypes many people have of police officers.

I pulled up to the intersection. The officer was standing in the middle of Holly Grove Road. His car, along with some orange cones, was blocking Robinson Road. The road block was because of a triathlon.

No problem. It’s great that the city sponsors events. Planning an alternate route to work, I asked the officer if all of Robinson Road was blocked.

Rather than just saying yes, he pointed to his car and said, “What would make you think that? Would it be the car in the middle of the road or was it the orange cones?”

He continues his sarcasm by saying, “I don’t know why people keep pulling up and asking me that.”

I could tell that this officer was probably not a “to protect and serve” kind of officer, and that he was probably a “out to get you” kind of officer, so I did the prudent thing: I turned right and drove off.

The police want, need, and ask for the public’s help and cooperation. Does that officer’s behavior make you want to help and cooperate with him? One officer’s behavior reflects on this entire department, so does his behavior make you want to help and cooperate with any Peachtree City police officer?

This officer’s sarcastic and rude behavior does not reflect well on the Peachtree City Police Department. How many people Saturday morning did that officer cause to have a bad impression of the Peachtree City police?

In closing, I would like to say that police officers should save their clever sarcasm for criminals, not members of the law-abiding general public. I hope that this officer’s behavior is the exception rather than the rule for the Peachtree City police. Remember, the police do need the public on their side.

Todd Alexander

Zebulon, Ga.