Sgt. Glenn Mathews of Bulverde, Texas.....HERO OR VILLIAN?

Sgt. Glenn Mathews HERO OR VILLIAN?

My husband and I moved to this area 19 years ago and although people have made much progress in our community it wasn't until two days ago that I realized how much I had changed. I used to think police officers were there to help us. Not realizing I no longer believed this to be completely true.

My husband and I moved to this area to give our children better opportunities than we had. Not knowing at the time that in those 19 years of raising our kids in this town they would have to endure the sad reality of the world we live in and sooner than we would have liked them to. We learned that the price you pay for opportunity was heartbreaking and hard to fathom. As years passed our children have been racially profiled, judged, and excluded many times. As a parent, I was so hurt for my children and confused at times. Who knew that an encounter with a police officer would change my view 19 years later.

Two days ago at 10:30 p.m. my husband and I were driving to Walmart when we noticed a not-so-unusual scene. A Bulverde police officer had a vehicle pulled over with three young girls standing to the side of the road. I was caught off guard when one of the three girls happened to be my daughter. My daughter had been driving with a friend when they were pulled over by Sgt. Glenn Mathews. I immediately told my husband to turn around and pull over. Despite my husband's attempt to explain the logic of what I was telling him to do he quickly realized my illogical request and decided it was best not smarter but best he listens to his wife. Although, once he parked he refused to get off the truck. Without hesitation, I exit the vehicle. So many negative thoughts went through my head. I had already told myself this police officer was going to do anything but what he was supposed to do. I was wrong! Although he had plenty of opportunities and would have been in the right had he decided to put my daughter or me in our place he didn't? Not once did I feel anything other than a human being when he was addressing me. Sgt. Glenn Mathews maintained the same calm, understanding, and respectful demeanor the entire time taking nothing personally. Despite my daughter's youtube lawyer remarks, he walked her to the truck and still attempted to open the door for her.

After I got home that night I realized how far I had come in my belief and trust in the system, in law enforcement, and people in general. I realized that everything my children had to go through and those people that judged and racially profiled my children were the very people I had become. I was and had become “those people”. I was no better.

Realizing all this I felt I needed to share my story. There are no words I could think of that would even come close to expressing my appreciation for Sgt. Glenn Mathews. He unknowingly restored my faith not only in Bulverde Police Officers but in people.

So, this leads me to my original question:

Sgt. Glenn Mathews HERO OR VILLIAN?

In my opinion, he is much more, he has taken the role of a hero and despite today's times giving them a bad name Sgt. Glenn Mathews still like many police officers risks his life every day for people he doesn't even know while managing to not only do an amazing job at representing Bulverde police officers but also an amazing job at setting an example of how a human being should treat another human being.