Surely you must understand that your editorial cartoon only serves to divide law enforcement and the public. Rather than letting the tragedies we have witnessed divide us, this is a time for us to come together as a community, to share our grief, and look for solutions.

The message we, as police administrators, convey to our officers is that we, as public servants, need to take the high road, and not contribute to the counterproductive rhetoric that serves only to intensify the conflict. Your editorial cartoon does just that — it adds to the counterproductive and inflammatory rhetoric.

We, as police leaders, urge our officers not to fall into the trap of allowing circumstances, such as what we’ve witnessed across this country, to justify an us-versus-them mentality. Your editorial does just that — serves to create a seemingly unbridgeable gulf between law enforcement and the communities we serve and protect.

We in law enforcement understand that our responsibility remains to the communities that we serve under all circumstances. We appreciate that we must understand and respect the dignity of all persons regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual preference or social status. This is the narrative that we expect from the media just as we expect from our police officers.

As President Obama stated in his July 18 open letter to law enforcement:

“Some are trying to use this moment to divide police and the communities you serve. I reject those efforts, for they do not reflect the reality of our Nation . . . As you continue to defend us with quiet dignity, we proclaim loudly our appreciation for the acts of service you perform as part of your daily routine. When you see civilians at risk, you don’t see them as strangers. You see them as your own family, and you lay your life on the line for them. You put others’ safety before your own, and you remind us that loving our country means loving one another.

Even when some protest you, you protect them. What is more professional than that? What is more patriotic? What is a prouder example of our most basic freedoms — to speech, to assembly, to life, and to liberty?’’

I urge the Boston Globe to reject, as President Obama does, any narrative that serves to divide us and embrace only dialogue that serves to bring us together.

Gerard A. Coletta

President

Massachusetts Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators