Obeying the law has kept me alive. It will keep others alive as well.

Maine law has requirements for following law enforcement directives and are part of driver education. Specific aspects of this training include traffic stops. Students are taught standard protocols for law enforcement encounters, including not fleeing, keeping hands visible and providing a license, registration and proof of insurance. 

Driving in Maine is a privilege, not a right. Those who don’t obey the law either ignored the driver education teachings or that information was omitted by the instructor. Neither is the fault of law enforcement. Obey law authorities or run the risk. 

Having had law enforcement point their weapons at my center body mass and my face, I certainly didn’t try to flee — especially in my motor vehicle, which becomes a weapon almost instantly and would have resulted in someone definitely getting wounded or worse. By the way, I hadn’t broken any law. They were actually looking for someone else.

Perhaps immigrant leadership and people with a public voice would better serve the population by repeatedly stressing “obey the law” and receive the safety it provides when followed, rather than framing law enforcement officials as evil. 

Obeying the law during that law enforcement encounter kept me alive. It will keep all of us alive.

Michael Woodworth
Auburn