Jones

This Independence Day, July 4th, is a time to commemorate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and celebrate 249 years of freedom within our country. It provides an opportunity to reflect on our national pride and reaffirm our fundamental liberty by participating in family and community activities, parades, great food, and, of course, fireworks.

For the last several years, I have had the fantastic opportunity to teach an introductory Criminal Justice class at Marshalltown High School. During my class each semester, we initiate a conversation on why the criminal justice system exists. We discuss the effects of the Revolutionary War, our Founding Fathers, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We discuss the broad understanding that our country was founded on the principle of protecting three unalienable rights in our Declaration: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Each of us is guaranteed by our support of our country to have the ability to believe what we wish to believe, provide for ourselves and our families as we feel necessary, and say (within reason) what we think, even if it may be contrary to public opinion.

These are just a small list of the freedoms we have been awarded through our independence. Our independence is personal to all of us, individual from both the perspective of our community and our culture. Our country is founded on this sense of diversity in thought and action. Our Founding Fathers understood that for us to be truly free, we must rely primarily on ourselves to find ways to mitigate our disagreements and alternative views, so that we may live in harmony alongside each other. This is the role of our Criminal Justice System.

In our class, we discuss at length the responsibility our country has in continually protecting our freedoms. Our governing agencies are often tasked with addressing two main objectives: protecting the personal rights of individuals and maintaining public order through the rule of law, thereby not infringing on the individual rights of others. Throughout history, numerous examples have emerged of the conflict between civil and political freedoms and the establishment of public order and safety.

Very recently, we have seen two slight shifts in this paradigm. One was our freedom to use our electronic devices while driving, which is now restricted in our state in the interest of traffic safety. The other is the lessening of restrictions on fireworks laws, allowing individuals more freedom to celebrate in a manner they choose. Independence Day requires a balance between celebrating freedom and maintaining public order.

This responsibility also comes with the understanding that, even though we have the right to say and act as we choose, we should also be conscious of our responsibility not to infringe on our neighbors’ right to do the same.

The Marshalltown Police Department would like to acknowledge our appreciation to our present and former military members for their efforts, dedication, and sacrifice in helping us maintain our freedom. We wish everyone in our community a happy and safe holiday weekend!

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Christopher Jones is the chief of the Marshalltown Police Department.