NewsBlues mrsbgrammar Page 64
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Mrs. Bluezette's Grammar Guide
"lawmen"
Take a minute to read this letter from Texas about "lawmen":
"In my ten years as executive producer at KRGV I was never
able to succeed in getting the anchors, news director, producers,
associate producers and assignment editors to stop saying and
writing `lawmen.' Even the women thought it was not important.
"When women in law enforcement would call and complain the
News Director and everyone else would laugh and say `Its not
important... they know what we mean. This is the Rio Grande
Valley, things are different here.' In fact even the local
newspapers refer to anyone in law enforcement as a `lawman.'
"I'm not sure if even Marshall Matt Dillon or Joe Friday would
approve. English is the second language here, but women
deserve equal respect. Is this a problem in other parts of the
country where English is the first language?"
Michael Jones
Because it IS a problem all over the country, Mrs. B shared
Michael's letter.
Instead of "lawmen," use "police."
POLICE OFFICERS work for the city.
SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES work for the county.
It's the sheriff's OFFICE and the police DEPARTMENT.
However, when both deputies and police are on the scene, it's fine to
use the umbrella term "police."
