Law enforcement must have community support if its efforts to combat crime and maintain public order are to be successful.

National Police Week begins Monday, and communities throughout the country will hold events recognizing law enforcement officers and agencies for their efforts enforcing laws and removing the worst of our society from the streets to keep the rest of us safe.

An often thankless job, law enforcement requires long hours, typically pays toward the lower end of the scale, and places an undeserved burden on those who chose to pursue it as a career. Public perception of the job has further eroded the allure of the job as instances of misconduct are magnified in the digital space.

Make no mistake, there are bad police officers. The five members of the Rankin County “Goon Squad,” who were sentenced earlier this year to lengthy prison sentences for racially motivated physical and sexual abuse, are prime examples of men who have no business wearing a badge.

Others, like former Noxubee County Sheriff Terry Grassaree, who pleaded guilty earlier this week to lying to the FBI during an investigation into sexual abuse of a female inmate by both himself and his deputy, prove unable to responsibly and ethically wield the power and authority of their positions.

Misconduct aside, anyone who can confidently say our nation’s criminal justice system functions flawlessly obviously hasn’t spent much time at a police station as any officer with more than a few months on the job can likely provide enough suggestions to fill several volumes.

The role officers play has also been called into question in recent times, sparking discussions around whether sending law enforcement is always the best response. Crisis response training, partnerships with mental health services and having social workers or others respond instead of police have all been suggested as ways to help meet the needs of the community with the current available resources.

In the vast majority of the country, however, if you call 911, it will be the police that respond.

No, our system is not perfect. No, or our officers are not perfect.

For the most part, the men and women wearing a badge in the community are just that, members of the community. Law enforcement officers are not superheroes any more than they are the supervillains some make them out to be.

For our law enforcement officers to be successful, we as a community must recognize that policing does not happen in a vacuum. Police need our help just as we need theirs, and the issues that plague our neighborhoods, such as drugs, gun violence and gang activity, cannot be resolved until we, as a community, give them our support.