The thin blue line on a field of black represents the police who separate the public from anarchy, the citizens from criminals, the good from bad. The line is thin since they are very few in numbers; always too few.
The men and women who wear the badge come from every corner of the community, all kinds of families, all faiths and all shapes and sizes. Yes, some even love donuts. The reasons they choose this life of service are as varied as they are, but the have chosen this life willingly and with full understanding of what it involves.
To serve as a law enforcement officer means putting yourself in harms way. Where others run from danger, the officers must pursue it. They will train in the law, in forensics and investigative technique. They must know how to compassionately deal with the mentally ill, the sick and injured, the disturbed and the impaired. They will see the darkest sides of the worst the world has to offer, as well as those who are viewed as doing no wrong. In the blink of an eye, they will need to make legal and ethical life or death decisions that will be scrutinized by the greatest legal minds in the world for decades to come. They must do this all with fairness and objectively.
In return, they can expect to rotate through day, evening and nightshifts for what seems like an eternity. They will work no matter the weather, even when others are told to stay home. They must battle exhaustion, insomnia, weight gain and weight loss. Stress related illnesses including PTSD are forever menacing. They can expect a higher rate of divorce and suicide than the general population, as well as the threat of death or disabling injury every day on the job and every day in their personal life because they chose to wear the badge. Yet still, they serve.
We now live in a time of 24-hour, seven-day a week news cycles fuelled by cameras in every cell phone with access to social media to spread truth, lies and judgment. It has been a doubled edged sword for law enforcement as it has shown them at their best, and at their worst. While the vast, Vast, VAST majority of officers serve with absolute distinction, a handful have disgraced the badge and what it stands for. It not only hurts them, but the entire community as well. I can tell you first hand there is nothing more disturbing, more reprehensible, more unacceptable to law enforcement than when one of their own has gone bad.
I was extremely fortunate in my time as a law enforcement officer to have served with men and women of integrity and courage. Many of these officers are still serving today. Through my later work and friendships, I am also honored to know officers in my local community and throughout the country at every level in a wide range of departments and agencies. I can say without hesitation, these too are officers of the highest caliber whom I would trust my very life with.
National Police Week 2016 is from Sunday, May 15, 2016 through Saturday, May 21, 2016. During this time the nation pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. Since 1791, over 20,000 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in this country. Their names are engraved on the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. One of these names was a friend of mine.
If you have not, I encourage you to visit the memorial in person or online at www.nleomf.org/memorial and learn the stories of these heroes who gave everything for the communities they served.
Furthermore, I encourage you to learn what your local law enforcement officers are doing in your community and support them wherever you can; with your vote, your time, your funds, your words or your hands.
To those who have died with the badge as well as those who continue to wear it today, I thank you.
Bob
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