All throughout our childhoods, we are taught that the police and first responders are our friends. On a certain level, that is true. Firefighters, EMTs, and some police officers can be terrific people. But I don't always trust the police.

You might be thinking, "Why don't you trust the police?" My answer is simple. Some cops can be corrupt. Some cops abuse their power as authority figures to antagonize and harass people. There are cops who harass people with criminal records just because they are just driving through town. These cops need to be fired, in my opinion, because it is harassment to people who are just trying to live their lives.

When I was a senior in Rockcastle County High School, our apartment was raided by the police. Sure, my mom was doing drugs there at the time, but they had no warrant to enter the apartment. I was pushed up against the wall and yelled at by corrupt cops and I had no idea what was happening. I didn't know about anything my mom was doing and they treated me like a criminal.

Even though she has been clean for years now, my mom always gets harassed by Rockcastle County police every time she drives through Rockcastle County. Because this is happening, I don't trust the police, especially Rockcastle County police.

But I thank God that I am one of the lucky ones. I got out of Rockcastle County when I had the chance and I never lived in Rockcastle County ever since. But I feel sympathy for the people who made mistakes in their lives and are constantly being bullied around by the "boys in blue." People should be given a chance to make a fresh start in their lives without being harassed by the police. After all, how can you be better when you are always treated by a criminal?