A policy for police officers in a Cambria County community is being unfairly criticized. The policy, which calls for police officers to turn in their service weapons at the station at the end of their shifts, was brought on after an officer in neighboring Johnstown was charged with shooting and killing his girlfriend with his weapon.

It's being criticized by the American Federation of Police, but its critics fail to see the benefits this policy could have. After alleged incidents such as Craig Knepper's, the 35-year-old former East Conemaugh Police Department officer who remains jailed on homicide charges after allegedly killing his girlfriend with his service weapon, it shows that maybe keeping these weapons off the street is a good safety precaution.

Some argue it's safer for officers to have their weapons while off-duty, but if a police officer is off-duty, then there should be an equivalent number of officers to compensate that officer's time off. These opponents also may argue police are targets for small crimes and their guns are necessary for their own safety.

As far as the reported crimes against police officers, there does not seem to be a large number of people shooting at off-duty police officers on their way home from work.

Police are here to "serve and protect," but when officers use their weapons to violate that oath in their personal lives, that goal is diminished. Society has continually called for police to work to get weapons off the street. By leaving their weapons at the police station, police would be aiding this cause.

Most police are not "bad guys." The majority of our law enforcement officers are heroes in the truest sense of the word. Just because accusations that a few officers among their ranks have violated their professional calling does not mean that all police officers aren't trustworthy. This policy should not be seen as a sign of mistrust of these heroes but rather another way to keep more weapons off the street, whether they be in the hands of the "good guys" or "bad guys." Police use their weapons when they are on the clock, but once they're off weapons should stay at the station.