Erica May is an emergency number professional (911) and works in public safety. She studied at the Naval Postgraduate Academy Center for Homeland Defense and Security and is a proud resident of South Memphis. Erica is a periodic contributor to The Daily Memphian.
There are 22 articles by Erica May :
“I shouldn’t have to defend my racial identity because I don’t support a particular candidate. Nor should anyone assume that because I reject one candidate, I automatically support the other.”
“There is a difference between criticizing law enforcement as a profession and criticizing how law enforcement officers are trained. Examining professional failures does not demean a profession. It strengthens it.”
“People struggled, marched, bled and died so Black people could exercise the right to vote. They did not die for us to have the right to vote Democrat. They died for us to have the right to choose.”
“Supporting local charities and advocating for legislative reform are reasonable paths forward; interfering with active law enforcement is not.”
“Social media provides profound community benefits: the power to spread messages, support causes and connect neighbors.”
“Growing up, many adults in school and in church impressed upon us ‘character counts.’ Today, I wonder if the messages of character, kindness and respect resonate.”
“The internet isn’t just a separate world we visit; it is now an inseparable part of our streets, schools and homes. The ultimate safety app is awareness.”
“I am a proponent of the Shelby County’s school board’s decision to ban phones from school and wish it would have been done sooner.”
“Research shows ‘fake news’ spreads significantly faster than the truth. Why? Because the social media algorithm is structured to reward engagement.”
“Instead of treating a horrific tragedy as an isolated incident and holding those specific officers accountable, the council put the entire MPD culture — and legitimate policing — on trial.”
“If middle school students are having unprotected sex and contracting sexually transmitted infections, do we really think they are going to log onto a website and order a test?”
Opinion: I am a millennial and grew up on this music. However, as a public-safety professional, I cannot reconcile my nostalgic feelings with the cries I hear from Memphians when they call 9-1-1 in distress. Because then the lyrics come to life.
“We may make our choices alone, but we share the consequences with others. The actions of these officers have impacted multiple families, a police department, a city and a profession.”
“We need leaders who will be ‘smart on crime and tough on crime.’ From the consumer, to the corporations and all the way to the entrepreneur – crime is tough on our economy. We don’t have soft criminals and we cannot have soft leaders.”
“I absolutely hate that we have a city filled with seemingly responsible and respected people that will not acknowledge the connection between what we celebrate and what we see in our news reports.”
“The Secret Service coordinates protection detail procedures with law enforcement agencies. A few of our city council members were excited to intervene and put themselves in the middle of federal and local law enforcement’s customary procedures.” Letter to the Editor: Denying security to former President Trump is an effort ‘filled with hatred’Related story:
While we have a small segment of our population wreaking havoc across the city, the “stand-up” citizens argue with each other about what to do and who’s to blame.
Now more than ever, America is a country of choice. The efforts to persuade and coerce citizens into taking the vaccine just do not sit well with me.
In the past year I have taken over 1,900 calls to 911, and I’m convinced that a refresher course is in order for children and adults alike. Here are some tips to help you become an effective 911 caller.
“We have one of the best police forces in the country. As we reimagine police work, we have a responsibility as citizens to remember our part in creating a civil society.”
Sometimes it seems our memory is as selective as our outrage. Black men are taken into custody every day without incident. Two young Black men accused of killing Memphis police officers – Tremaine Wilbourn and Justin Welch – were arrested without incident.
Let us not use the death of George Floyd as an opportunity to scapegoat and launch an unfair assault on an entire profession. I’ve spoken to police officers. They too are disturbed and hurt by that tragic event.
About 22 results