Yesterday's deaths involving police

Did you hear about the four police who were shot in Oakland yesterday? Probably. If not, you will. As we've been told, this is an extraordinary, unthinkable tragedy:

The gunman was also killed Saturday, capping a day of violence that the Oakland Police Department said was the worst in its history. Never before had three police officers died in the line of duty on the same day.

"It's in these moments that words are extraordinarily inadequate," said Mayor Ron Dellums at a somber news conference Saturday night...

Grieving officers at the police station hugged and consoled each other. People left four bouquets of white roses under a granite memorial wall inside the building lobby that lists 47 officers killed in the line of duty. The wall shows the last officer killed in Oakland was in January of 1999...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger planned to fly to Oakland on Sunday from Washington, D.C., to meet with police and Mayor Dellums, the governor's office said.

Also, yesterday, a drunk cop in Missouri, driving on the wrong side of the road, plowed into a car carrying five people, killing four of them instantly. Maybe you won't hear about this one. Don't worry though, the driver is in fair condition. Only the passengers died.

That is a profound tragedy - four people dying for nothing, dying because someone had to drink and drive. No provocation, no involvement, just traveling somewhere when they met the fullest force of irresponsibility.

The police who were shot in Oakland will surely be lionized, as you can already see. They are heros, they are servants, they are protectors, they will be names on an eternal wall of honor.

Will the police officer who took four lives and ruined a fifth, not by any accident, be derided as a massive piece of shit? Not by anyone who has a public voice, that's for sure. Just as the police in Oakland console themselves, will the police in Sunset Hills viciously lambast Chrissy Miller for her utter lack of concern for the public she swore to protect? She committed one of the ultimate betrayals of her stated duties, but here we see the police chief defending her.

The people who died in that car, they will be ashes in a wall, caskets in a cemetery. We'll forget them tomorrow.