Entre Nous
02-28-2007, 07:20 AM
A friend emailed this to me. I was very touched by it, and she gave me permission to share it:
I had the sad misfortune of going to Deputy Brandy Winfield's funeral. I do not know Deputy Winfield or his family, yet we have a strong connection. I am a police officer's wife. Everyday, I kiss my husband goodbye and hope it's not the last. Everyday, my small children give their daddy five kisses on the cheek and one on the forehead.
I don't know if they know all of the dangers of daddy's job, but they know the importance of their goodbye ritual. I have received phone calls about my husband being involved in an injury accident and incidents where he has been injured. I have received phone calls from friends whose husbands have been seriously injured or involved in a shooting. I have exchanged phone calls with other "cop" wives because we "just didn't have a good feeling" and our anxiety and fear is high. I have sat and filled out the critical incident book with my husband to plan his funeral. What songs, where, who would be pall bearers?
I have made my husband dinner at eleven o'clock at night because he spent his dinner money on a hungry child who has been removed from their home. I have stayed up until 4 am because he was so distraught over a violent murder or the fact that he was with someone who died completely alone and was discovered three weeks later. I have gone to many functions alone because he serves his community proudly. We have spent holidays and special occasions without him. This is the life of a law enforcement officer's family. We accept it as part of the calling of our spouses and part of our lives. We proudly support our husbands. We take care of them and let them know how much we love them.
But I wonder, does our community support our officers? I pick up the paper or watch the news and it seems they are quick to point out how many officers have had complaints made on them, investigations that are occurring for misconduct, excessive force and you name it. Yet, it is never published how many compliments that officer has had, or how many of those issues have been unfounded. I am asking you to think about when was the last time you thanked a law enforcement officer? That officer is a person. They are a daddy, mommy, husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, or friend. Someone deeply loves that person. Everyday they put their uniform on and proudly walk out the door to protect and serve their community without thought to the risk they may be taking.
Before you criticize a police officer, think about what they are doing to keep you safe. Think about the ultimate duty they are doing for the community you live in. And most of all, when you see an officer, say "thank you!".
I had the sad misfortune of going to Deputy Brandy Winfield's funeral. I do not know Deputy Winfield or his family, yet we have a strong connection. I am a police officer's wife. Everyday, I kiss my husband goodbye and hope it's not the last. Everyday, my small children give their daddy five kisses on the cheek and one on the forehead.
I don't know if they know all of the dangers of daddy's job, but they know the importance of their goodbye ritual. I have received phone calls about my husband being involved in an injury accident and incidents where he has been injured. I have received phone calls from friends whose husbands have been seriously injured or involved in a shooting. I have exchanged phone calls with other "cop" wives because we "just didn't have a good feeling" and our anxiety and fear is high. I have sat and filled out the critical incident book with my husband to plan his funeral. What songs, where, who would be pall bearers?
I have made my husband dinner at eleven o'clock at night because he spent his dinner money on a hungry child who has been removed from their home. I have stayed up until 4 am because he was so distraught over a violent murder or the fact that he was with someone who died completely alone and was discovered three weeks later. I have gone to many functions alone because he serves his community proudly. We have spent holidays and special occasions without him. This is the life of a law enforcement officer's family. We accept it as part of the calling of our spouses and part of our lives. We proudly support our husbands. We take care of them and let them know how much we love them.
But I wonder, does our community support our officers? I pick up the paper or watch the news and it seems they are quick to point out how many officers have had complaints made on them, investigations that are occurring for misconduct, excessive force and you name it. Yet, it is never published how many compliments that officer has had, or how many of those issues have been unfounded. I am asking you to think about when was the last time you thanked a law enforcement officer? That officer is a person. They are a daddy, mommy, husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, or friend. Someone deeply loves that person. Everyday they put their uniform on and proudly walk out the door to protect and serve their community without thought to the risk they may be taking.
Before you criticize a police officer, think about what they are doing to keep you safe. Think about the ultimate duty they are doing for the community you live in. And most of all, when you see an officer, say "thank you!".