Solidarity
Normally, I try to throw some humor in what I write here. Sorry to disappoint everyone today, but this isn't going to be very funny.
Yesterday afternoon three police officers were shot outside of a Fairfax County (VA) police station - not far from here. Sadly, a 40 year old detective, a mother of two, was killed.
I don't know this officer. Never met her. But she was "one of us." And I, along with thousands of other police officers in the region (if not the country) will mourn her loss. I have a "mourning band" (an elastic black band) which I will slide over my badge today and wear in her honor.
Coincidentally, National Police Officer Memorial Day is coming up on Monday, the 15th. For those of you who have never heard of it, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as a day for remembering fallen police officers. The National Law Enforcement Memorial is in Washington, DC (take the Metro to Judiciary Square and it's at the top of the escalator). Every year names are added to the wall there to honor those killed in the line of duty. It's a very powerful thing to see, especially this time of year. I will go there next week and see all the flowers, teddy bears, and notes from children placed on the wall next to the names of their loved ones who are gone.
Too many names are being added to that wall this year. And next year the Fairfax officer will have her name placed on it.
Yesterday afternoon an officer, wife and mother lost her life because an 18 year old fuckwad, who was arrested last month for committing a carjacking, apparently sought some kind of revenge on the police. Revenge is something you seek when you've been wronged, not caught. And although I'm glad that he was also killed in the gunfire, that doesn't make me the least bit happy about what happened.
I'm writing this for a reason. Not to solicit thanks for what I do for a living or anything like that. What I want anyone who reads this to think about is this:
At some point you'll hear (or have probably already heard) someone say something about the "fucking police" giving them a ticket or something. Yeah, we write tickets, but we also risk dying in an effort to protect people we don't even know - people like you. So when someone starts talking trash about us because they screwed up and got caught, you tell them to go fuck themselves, pay the fine, and be glad we're around.
Yesterday afternoon three police officers were shot outside of a Fairfax County (VA) police station - not far from here. Sadly, a 40 year old detective, a mother of two, was killed.
I don't know this officer. Never met her. But she was "one of us." And I, along with thousands of other police officers in the region (if not the country) will mourn her loss. I have a "mourning band" (an elastic black band) which I will slide over my badge today and wear in her honor.
Coincidentally, National Police Officer Memorial Day is coming up on Monday, the 15th. For those of you who have never heard of it, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as a day for remembering fallen police officers. The National Law Enforcement Memorial is in Washington, DC (take the Metro to Judiciary Square and it's at the top of the escalator). Every year names are added to the wall there to honor those killed in the line of duty. It's a very powerful thing to see, especially this time of year. I will go there next week and see all the flowers, teddy bears, and notes from children placed on the wall next to the names of their loved ones who are gone.
Too many names are being added to that wall this year. And next year the Fairfax officer will have her name placed on it.
Yesterday afternoon an officer, wife and mother lost her life because an 18 year old fuckwad, who was arrested last month for committing a carjacking, apparently sought some kind of revenge on the police. Revenge is something you seek when you've been wronged, not caught. And although I'm glad that he was also killed in the gunfire, that doesn't make me the least bit happy about what happened.
I'm writing this for a reason. Not to solicit thanks for what I do for a living or anything like that. What I want anyone who reads this to think about is this:
At some point you'll hear (or have probably already heard) someone say something about the "fucking police" giving them a ticket or something. Yeah, we write tickets, but we also risk dying in an effort to protect people we don't even know - people like you. So when someone starts talking trash about us because they screwed up and got caught, you tell them to go fuck themselves, pay the fine, and be glad we're around.
posted by P. at 8:08 AM
3 Comments:
I hear you, Pats. I've never, ever understood why there was so much animosity for police officers. What a tough job they (you) have. I have never had anything but respect for them. I've been fortunate not to have many run-ins with them but the ones I have, they've been nothing less than professional.
And it is so sad when a life is taken for no reason other than another person's anger or whatever the issue is. Truly a tragedy.
There are no words, are there?
How incredibly sad.
I have a state corporal, soon to be sergeant in my family and my father was a state corporal. I have a high respect for the police, state or local.
I'm proud of you for what you do and am truthfully thankful that there are people like you in the world who do your line of work. Especially near your area, it's NO day at the park.
Pat - I wanted to respond right away, but it took me a day or so to put my outrage and temper away. The senselessness of this act is beyond my vocabulary. The part of me that craves vengence wishes that it was police fire that killed him. That he could plan and carry this out then kill him self only shows the lowest form of cowardice.
I have had my share of tickets, some of them ugly, some in VA, MD, and NC, some required court appearances, some made my insurance go up. That's what happens when I made the choice not to obey the speed limit. The police have always been polite, almost apologetic in cases. I pay my fine, go to court if required, and suck it up with the insurance company. That's what grown up's do. I teach/have taught my children that the police are not people to fear but to respect and that they are always go to people. They have always come when I've called, reassured my when I've been frightened and always had my respect.
Please keep doing what your doing, I'll try to drive slower ;), and I will keep reminding my children what a gift it is to have police to protect us.
Kim
Post a Comment
<< Home