Police Week 2015 is soon coming to a close. If you have me on Facebook, you already know that I post and post and maybe even over-post about the police and how I feel about them so I am going to bring it right on over here because I have some frustrations and well.....what better place to work them out, right?
There is so much chaos in the world these days that a good cop couldn't catch a break if it were handed to them on a silver platter. Everywhere you look there is someone putting down a cop for something they've done. They've written someone a ticket. They've driven too fast down the highway. They've been rude to someone. They didn't get here fast enough. Don't they have anything BETTER to do than stop me for speeding?? Seriously, our world has changed so much.
Growing up in the jail house and having the Sheriff as your father, you learn some pretty hard-core stuff early in life. You learn that your birthday dinner that you have been waiting for the whole week, has to wait until your dad gets back from a wreck. A wreck where someone's child died. A wreck where someone decided to drink and drive and took a chance on, not only their life, but the lives of every person in every car they met on that road; until they crossed that line just enough to ruin their life and the life of someone else. And then when your dad finally has a chance to relax and unwind, he has to put on a happy face for you and for all your house guests. Because that's what he does.
He holds in it. He puts on a new, fresh exterior, even though he himself is dying inside for what he has just seen and had to do. He hugs you and kisses you and you are thinking how lucky you are that your dad made it back so now you can get back to your dinner, cake & ice cream, and presents and he is thinking how lucky he is that he is home; he is safe; you are safe; and how much he loves his family.
You learn that even on Christmas day, the opening of presents sometimes has to be put on hold. That's a pretty hard thing for a small child to learn. But that's the lessons of a cops child. While you sit and stare at your presents, wondering what is in each one, your dad is at someone's house arresting someone because they chose to drink too much that night before and almost beat their spouse...and their child...to death. When he gets home, you stare at your dad and smile, because you are so lucky that he is home to watch you open your presents and you get to give him something you made especially for him. He relaxes in his chair, smiling at his family, holding in those thoughts of what he would do if someone dared inflict any kind of pain on those he loves.
At some point in your life, you grow up and realize "There is a chance my dad won't come home tonight." And then you start to really think about how the world keeps changing, how crime keeps changing, how life keeps changing. And it gets scary.
You learn, as you see your dad assisting the fire department at a house fire, how much you are affected by memories of your own house fire. You ask yourself "How was he able to help with a house fire knowing that he felt responsible every day of his life for not getting his own child out of his burning house?" Obviously, he was not to blame whether he believed that or not. You suddenly feel yourself grow up a little bit as you think of what he went through that fateful day and then....how is he facing this fire right now? What must he be thinking? Why would he want to help put this fire out? HOW can he help put this fire out? But you see him hold it in. You see him for the strong soul that he is. You see his courage, his might, and his commitment; not only to the people, but to the profession.
Some of you reading this may have similar experiences and know exactly what I am talking about. The majority don't see the "small" things a family has to go through. Being the child of a cop, you learn that your parent isn't always going to be at your basketball games. They aren't always going to make your volleyball tournaments. Sometimes, they may not even make it to your Christmas concerts. And you understand. Because it's all you know. I was lucky enough to have my mom and many brothers and sisters (all older, I might add) to help cover for my dad. Our family always made sure someone was there.
I'm not sure what age I was when I finally started looking at my mom a whole different way. Knowing how I felt about what my dad did for a living and what kinds of danger the job put him in, how could she possibly withstand it? A houseful of noisy, rambunctious kids and constantly worrying if her husband was going to come home that night. It takes a strong woman to be a wife of a cop. It doesn't surprise me the divorce rates among cops because at some point, it would have to be easier to walk away so you don't have to worry anymore. I'm so thankful that my mom never walked away though. And I'm thankful that my guys have wives that are strong and supportive.
As if growing up in this profession wasn't enough, working in it has given me one of the sickest senses of humor known to man. Sometimes making a stupid joke about something that happened at work is the only way we have to cope with it. It's not about disrespect at all. It's about dealing with what bothers us. And what better way than to laugh.
With that being said, recently I had a conversation with a cop who loves to push my buttons. I expect it and he always delivers. Well this particular conversation we had, I was stressing how the safety and the lives of my guys were my top priority. Of course that brought jokes. But that isn't something I'm comfortable joking about. Not death. Especially not their death. I can't even begin to tell you how the thought of one of my guys getting hurt...or worse...on the job will affect me. My heart and my soul will crumble into a billion pieces. I would never be the same.
These guys are my family, my priority. They aren't my blood but they may as well be. There isn't much I wouldn't do for them. When I go to work, I don't care if someone is mad at me when I talk to them on the phone. I don't care if Joe Public thinks I make too much money for "just answering the phone." And I don't care if you pay taxes that pay my salary (by the way, I pay those same taxes so the next traffic stop will be on me). I care that everyone is safe. I care that at the end of shift, my guys have all made it home safely to their families. The families that are depending on me to do my job to the best of my abilities and get the information that their guy needs to do his job to the best of his abilities.
If you don't want to put yourself in the shoes of a cop, try putting yourself in the shoes of someone who loves that cop. Think about how you would feel knowing the person you love with all your heart and soul...the person that is your best friend...or your parent...is leaving to go to work and there is no promise that those he has to deal with, care if he lives or dies. How does it make you feel to know that there are people out there that wouldn't bat an eye to hold a gun to your loved one's head?
Before I was born, my dad had taken my sister for a car ride late one night because she wouldn't go to sleep. Dad was a deputy at the time so they just jumped into the patrol car and drove around town. She finally fell asleep and dad wanted to make sure she stayed good and asleep before going back home, so he stopped in front of the local bank (very small town) parked the car, sat back and relaxed. Of course, his only concern at that point was Marla, and her getting to sleep. He didn't know that right behind him, there were some armed men that had made their way through the bad door and were robbing that bank (no alarms back then). He didn't know that as he sat there listening to the sounds of his little girl sleeping, one man was sitting on the roof and had his gun sites set right to his head and was ready to shoot him if he made the slightest move to get out of that car. He learned all of that later. When they arrested those men.
So, for those of you that don't support the police, how would you like to do their job? How would you like your spouse to do their job? How would you like your child to do their job? It takes a special person, with a special heart, and a hell of a lot of courage, to do what they do. And to be ridiculed by so many because of some wrong-doings of a few. The good cops and the good things they do, greatly out-weigh the bad cops and the bad things they do. I'm glad that finally, the police are getting some positive recognition, and I am proud to be on this team. I hope all my guys know how proud I am of them, and how much I appreciate them. And I hope, that if their wives ever read this, they already know that this dispatcher's first and foremost priority, is his safety.
#weseeyou #idispatch #supportlawenforcement
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