We should let police officers like OPD's Donald do their job

I read an interesting letter to the editor by Gary Allan May the other day, making no sense to me. It was in regards to the confrontation and assault on Officer Ryan Donald of the OPD.

He suggested Officer Donald had no right to protect himself from an assault by two suspected shoplifters, going on to say the officer should have been detained and taken into custody. Seriously?

Perhaps he has an alternative response when an officer gets confronted and assaulted by suspects in a crime. Officer Donald did his job. That's what police do. When confronted and fearing injury or worse, would people prefer officers back off, perhaps run and hide?? If so, I guess we wouldn't need police then? We could just let the bullies and stronger people rule.

There aren't many alternatives. Confront suspects and deal with threats, or back off and run away. Anyone can kill, armed or not, using their fists, legs, feet. Think about being punched hard in the face, knocked to the ground and being stomped on, being, oh yeah, unarmed.

Armed doesn't mean you have to have a weapon. Think about a skateboard being swung at you in the face. Officers have to stop these threats.

This story was originally published August 25, 2015 at 11:30 AM with the headline "We should let police officers like OPD's Donald do their job."