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yet the elite culture, leftist politicians, and obnoxious street protestors are conspiring to shrink them.

The crux of the matter is the moral status of the police. The question is whether they fulfill an absolutely crucial role that deserves to be honored and supported to the hilt by public officials, who unstintingly back order on the streets as a foundational public good — or not.

There are signs that even liberal jurisdictions are beginning to get this (crime has a been a top issue in the New York City mayoral race). We aren’t going to keep or recruit good cops unless the job description, which has become so off-putting, is again worthy of the indispensability of the work.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

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