What happened in Memphis could happen here.

It could happen anywhere.

There are good cops and there are bad cops, just like there are good people and there are bad people.

While the beating death of Tyre Nichols on the streets of Memphis at the hands of five police officers who have now been fired may seem like another wakeup call for America, how many wakeup calls do we have to have before we wake up?

Once again if it had not been for video, we wonder if we would have ever known what happened in the tragic Nichols case?

Communities cannot wait until horrific things happen to have the conversations about what could happen and no one can just assume that rogue cops do not exist.

Of course we have good men and women serving and protecting us each day, but all it takes is one bad actor — or maybe five — for a horrible atrocity to occur.

Day in and day out, positive interactions between police and people — especially young people — are crucial.

Mutual respect and communication are the keys for wfostering positive relationships between police and the community.

But respect must be a two-way street and must be earned — both ways.

When we show respect, we are more likely to receive respect. When we talk to people in positive ways, they will more than likely talk to us in the same kinds of ways.

Setting the right tone and environment begins at the top and chiefs and sheriffs must be approachable and willing to listen, even to critics.

Chiefs and sheriffs must not be in denial and must not just assume there are no potential problems lurking in their ranks. They must be vigilant and proactive. Every single department in every single community should be having open and honest discussions about the beating death of Tyre Nichols.

It is a delicate balance but officers must be trained to maintain authority while demonstrating humility in a profession where it can sometimes be dangerous to show vulnerability. Serving and protecting must be more than a slogan. It must be a mindset, a culture and an attitude that permeates a law-enforcement agency.

Sure, no one wants to be pulled over for speeding. No one wants to be arrested or questioned. Every interaction between police and the public is not going to turn out well. Police make mistakes. The public does too.

There are times when police say and do the wrong things and that should not be denied or ignored. It is important that authorities be open, candid and completely transparent when those things do happen and the offenders be held accountable.

Police do encounter violent people with bad intentions. They go to work each day putting themselves in harm’s way for our safety and security. That has to put an enormous amount of pressure on them every day.

Having respect for police and police officers having respect for the men and women they encounter are equally important. Both things can, and must, happen simultaneously.