Many of us who live in Broward County aren't from Broward County. As a young child, I remember scenes of police officers on TV jumping into burning buildings and saving people from muggers. In Broward County, specifically Pompano Beach, it's a whole different attitude.

The police of Pompano Beach take on a bully and harass mentality. The mentality of the police belittling and intimidating people has been allowed to fester by the very people elected to keep citizens safe. A young woman enters the Pompano Beach police office to file a complaint and the blonde lady behind the counter practically throws her out for daring to try and file a complaint for perjury. "No, no way. You can't prove that!" she yells. Not only is this lady not a police officer, but she has zero authority to act in such a manner.

The woman returns with a card from the state's attorney and tells them the state's attorney has agreed to press charges if they provide her with a report. They send the lady off to get phone records. She comes back with the records and they refuse her a police report. Just what is going on in Broward County?

It just so happens that this is the same woman who was harassed by a Fort Lauderdale police officer. She was asked to help the police catch the officer and promised she didn't have to testify. Later, they told the woman she would have to testify. Afraid, she refused. Then, the department turned on her. The officer's defense attorneys made wild, un-provable, and untrue accusations. The woman was dragged though the mud.

There's something wrong in Pompano Beach and there's something terribly wrong in Broward County. The truth is, Sheriff Scott Israel and Mayor Lamar Fisher won't address it. The police need to be protecting the community. That's what they are their for. Instead, they have a "be scared of me" attitude. You look at them the wrong way and they bully you.

This coming election, let's think about the changes we want to see in our civil servants. They are servants. We pay them. Things need drastic change.