By Emily Steves, @SeeEmilyPlay

Stereotypes about law enforcement make them the bad guys instead of the good ones.

Police officers and the courts create this stereotype with the punishment system.

I drove to Hamburg, N.Y., during my senior year of high school to indulge in my first-ever pedicure with a friend. In Eden, the light shone yellow at the intersection in front of the high school. I sped right through. But the traffic light’s change to red above me didn’t go unnoticed by the cop sitting in his vehicle on the other side.

He turned on his lights.

I signaled and pulled over.

He appeared at my window and I gave him my driver’s license. I fumbled around for my registration, handing him my insurance information instead.

I didn’t know any better.

People driving by ogled at me.

I felt embarrassed and hated the police after that.

My parents went to traffic court with me and I –– thanks to cop connections my parents had –– only paid a $50 fine.

But I repeatedly called the cop who issued me the ticket an asshole. My 17-year-old self thought herself to be above reproach. She needed to be reminded of her fallibility.

I still need reminders I’m not invincible.

Everyone does.

But I’d like to be rewarded here and there for following traffic laws instead of being punished so mercilessly for breaking them.

I owned up to my mistake last month after getting pulled over near school. The sign clearly had a left-turn arrow with a slash through it. Don’t turn left.

I turned left anyway, saw the unmarked, black Chevy Impala and dropped a few F-bombs. I knew I’d screwed myself over.

I paid $138 to turn left that day and don’t plan on blatantly disregarding traffic laws ever again.

Driving had become a game to me. What can I get away with? Is there a cop nearby? 

But law enforcement makes driving and following laws a game with its inability to have eyes everywhere for the courts to punish every wrongdoer.

Why don’t law enforcement and the courts reward people, instead?

Last spring, Toronto police implemented a new plan. Instead of punishing citizens for wrongdoings, they have the option to hand out “positive tickets,” instead.

Not to compare humans to canines, but dogs prove this system works.

Fido finally peed outside instead of in? Give him a treat. Congratulate him for his good behavior. He’ll know then that, the more he does the right thing, the more he’ll be rewarded.

Following the speed limit, abiding to traffic lights and turning properly on the road goes unnoticed.

Make abiding to laws more appealing. Follow the example of our neighbors to the north.

Originally written for my opinion writing course at St. Bonaventure University.