We can only have true public safety with public trust.
Hear the clear and resonant words of Betsy Hodges, who once said: “We can only have true public safety with public trust.” This truth is not bound to one city or one moment in history—it is a principle as ancient as the laws of the tribes and as urgent as the struggles of today. For no walls, no armies, no weapons can keep a people safe if suspicion and fear rule between those who guard and those who are guarded. Safety is not born of force; it is born of trust, the invisible bond that ties a people to their guardians and their guardians to the people.
The origin of this saying lies in Hodges’ time as mayor of Minneapolis, a city where the questions of justice, equity, and policing were alive and burning. In those years, as in many others, tensions between law enforcement and the community revealed the fragile truth: when trust is broken, no amount of authority can guarantee true safety. Her words called both citizens and leaders to remember that public safety is not a fortress built from fear, but a covenant built from honesty, transparency, and mutual respect.
History has offered us both warnings and examples of this truth. In ancient Rome, when the Praetorian Guard turned from protectors to manipulators of power, the people ceased to trust them, and safety dissolved into chaos. The empire discovered that when protectors are feared, their very presence breeds unrest. Conversely, in the story of Sir Robert Peel, founder of modern policing in nineteenth-century England, we find the opposite lesson. He declared that “the police are the public and the public are the police,” emphasizing that without public confidence, the power of the law is hollow. His vision, like Hodges’, recognized that trust is the foundation of order.
The meaning of Hodges’ words extends beyond police and citizens; it applies to all authority and all relationships. A family cannot flourish without trust. A teacher cannot guide students without trust. A leader cannot inspire followers without trust. Force may compel obedience for a season, but it cannot build loyalty, it cannot build harmony, and it cannot build peace. When trust is absent, resentment festers; when trust is present, people willingly offer their strength for the good of all.
This is why public safety cannot be measured only in crime rates or prison walls. True safety is when a child walks home without fear, when a neighbor calls for help without hesitation, when a citizen believes that justice will be done fairly. Such safety is only possible when people trust that their voices matter, that their dignity is upheld, that their protectors are indeed protectors and not predators. Hodges’ words remind us that trust is not an ornament to safety, but its very foundation.
The lesson is for all who live in community: build trust where you stand. If you serve in authority, let your actions be transparent, your words be truthful, your conduct be honorable. If you are a citizen, seek fairness, speak truth, and work for understanding. Reconciliation begins when each side listens, when wounds are acknowledged, and when justice is pursued with sincerity. Trust is fragile, but once restored, it becomes the strongest shield a people can share.
Therefore, remember Hodges’ teaching: “We can only have true public safety with public trust.” Let it guide how you live in community, how you lead, and how you serve. Do not settle for safety built on fear, for it will crumble. Strive instead for safety built on trust, for it will endure. In this way, you will not only preserve peace in your own time but plant the seeds of harmony for generations to come.
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TDTrkng Doan
Betsy Hodges’ quote makes me think about the role of accountability in building public trust. How can we ensure that law enforcement and public officials are transparent and held accountable for their actions? Trust can only flourish when people feel like their concerns are being taken seriously and when they see real consequences for misconduct. How do we implement these changes in ways that don’t further divide the public, but rather bring them closer to a sense of shared safety?
LLLy Le
I appreciate the message of this quote, especially in times where trust in public institutions seems to be waning. But how do we rebuild trust once it's been broken, especially in communities that feel marginalized or underserved? Is trust something that can be restored through policy change alone, or is it more about restoring relationships on a personal level? I think this idea of trust and safety goes hand-in-hand with fostering a sense of justice and equity.
GDGold D.dragon
This quote really hits home in terms of the importance of trust in ensuring safety. But I think it also makes me question—how do we handle situations where public safety measures are necessary, but they risk eroding public trust? For example, when law enforcement actions seem overly aggressive, how do we maintain safety while also protecting the community's trust? It feels like a delicate balance between enforcing the law and being sensitive to public perception.
NNNguyen nga
Betsy Hodges’ quote highlights a very important point, but what does 'true public trust' really mean in this context? Does it imply that everyone, regardless of background or experiences, should trust law enforcement? Can there be a balance between public trust and the necessity of enforcing laws? And in a world of increasing polarization, how can public officials effectively communicate with and win the trust of diverse communities?
GDGold D.dragon
I agree with the sentiment behind this quote, but I wonder—how do we ensure that public trust is built in a meaningful way? Trust isn't something that can be demanded; it must be earned through consistent actions and accountability. Are there certain policies or practices that can effectively bridge the gap between public safety efforts and public trust? How do we avoid superficial solutions that don’t address the deeper issues?