Australia’s easy-going reputation has been somewhat marred in recent months, as the land of lockdown-under continues to enforce some of the harshest lockdown measures the world has seen.

It’s taken a while, but Australian’s are beginning to question the level of force and discretionary restraints police have utilised in enforcing restrictions. For many, Australia no longer resembles the home they once knew and loved, so naturally, an increasing number are calling for immediate action and change.

I don’t hesitate to defend the police. In fact, I’ve long opposed anti-police movements, such as ‘Defund the Police.’ Having worked in law enforcement for over a decade, I understand better than most the complexities of the culture, the hierarchy, the policies, and the standard operating procedures, and I’ve witnessed firsthand how incidents can be misrepresented by the media.

That said, the past eighteen months haven’t been easy. Those I once served alongside, those I bled with, cried with, laughed with, are now almost entirely unrecognisable to me.

I’ve always said there needs to be reform, and most would agree there’s always room for improvement, but I’ve constantly contended that the police are not as “evil” as many would like to suggest. But while I’m angry our governments have put the police in this unfortunate position, I can’t ignore the fact that we all swore an oath, and that right now, despite good intentions, there would appear to be a failure in upholding certain aspects of that oath.

It’s obvious the relationship between law enforcement and many civilians is fractured. If we continue down this path much longer, I’m concerned the fracture will become irreparable, at least in our lifetime.

What’s more important than protecting the public from an unmasked shopper is protecting the public’s opinion of law enforcement. One necessary and overly aggressive arrest can shatter a confidence in policing for thousands. I’m afraid we’ll learn too late that the excessive and harsh treatment of civilians can destroy in a matter of months a public trust in civil authorities that took more than a century to establish.

But it’s not all a total loss. With this in mind, I wanted to share a little hope for the Australian people. A number of police officers in Australia have formed an association called United Police For Freedom.

The group describes itself as a collection of officers”concerned over the excessive infringements impacting human rights by the recent Covid-19 vaccine mandates by employers, including the NSW Police Force.”

While the United Police For Freedom association does not represent the official views of the Force, it is made up of current serving officers who are seeking the public’s support for legal costs to test “the validity of the reasonableness and lawfulness of the vaccine mandates.”

The association has established a GoFundMe page to assist in legal expenses, which explains: “All donations received will be directed to a trust fund set up by PTW Solicitors to cover costs for legal action and litigation against the NSW Police Force.”

Now, I know what some of you may be thinking. “No way! Why would I help those who have been enforcing these things on us?” But before you completely write off the cause, I want you to consider the fact that these police officers are opposed to the mandating of vaccinations, they’re against the enforcement of lockdown measures, they’re opposed to the censorship of medical and scientific debate.

What they want is to foster unity over division, along with the preservation of human rights and freedom over coercion and intimidation.

“Association members are not anti-vaxxers,” the campaign states, “but they are pro FREE CHOICE.

“The mandates and restrictions in the daily lives of citizens are causing significant mental and financial harm to families and our children.

“Medical dialogue has been politicised and alternative medical and scientific viewpoints have been censored or suppressed by the mainstream media.”

The association goes on to say: “Furthermore, there has been no open discussion or debates between medical experts surrounding the safety and efficacy of the vaccines or the alternative protocols on treating Covid-19 in an attempt to avoid hospitalisations and death.”

These officers are the calibre of police you want enforcing the law. Driving out the “good apples” helps no one. So, if you want to support something, support these officers. They are the solution, not the problem, and they need our help as much as we need theirs.