MINOT — There are many fine things to say about the men and women in law enforcement.

It’s a tough job, and we’re fortunate to have so many professionals who do it well. Still, there’s a cultural problem in law enforcement that needs to be attacked and defeated. Sometimes it’s called the "warrior cop ethos," or the militarization of the police. Whatever term you choose, what it redounds to is too aggressive cops with an us-versus-them mentality patrolling our communities as if they were war zones.

That creates a situation that’s toxic not just for the general public, but for the cops themselves.

Sometimes the side effects of this problem manifest themselves in absurdly laughable ways, such as cop fashion: the buzz cuts and military kits, including body armor.

If you think of yourself a

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