I will always remember the occasion in 1988 or 1989 when Marco, my 8-year-old designated unofficial "Little Brother" in El Campo, Texas, told me that he wanted to become a police officer when he grew up.
"Great," I replied, "I can drive you to the El Campo Police Department headquarters so they can meet you and talk with you about what they do as police officers."
Marco immediately declined that offer.
"If you took me to police headquarters, they would arrest me," that 8-year-old Hispanic boy stated.
Looking back, I would have offered Marco an alternative option that was not threatening to him.
"I'm sorry if you feel that the El Campo Police would be mean to you," I could have said. "I could contact your public elementary school or public school district here in El Campo and arrange for you to meet a nice security officer or a nice police officer for El Campo Independent School District. They don't work for the City Government of El Campo. They would be very happy to meet you---and I promise you they won't put you in handcuffs.
"Another possibility is that I could arrange for you to meet a nice security guard for a business or hospital here in El Campo. Would you feel better about meeting a friendly security guard for a business or hospital here in town?"
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