Just like many people I used to cringe every time I saw a cop car while driving. I used to pray that I wouldn't be pulled over for speeding. I used to think of every excuse to get out of a ticket. I used to wonder what I would tell my parents if I got a ticket. My heart would race and my palms would get sweaty even if I wasn't doing anything illegal. These thoughts and feelings changed when I was driving home from college.

Before I got on the road to drive home my phone decided to die and wouldn't charge so I messaged my mom on facebook from my laptop telling her I was on the road and would see her soon. As I was driving home I was cruising and didn't have any issues. I was an hour and a half from home when that all changed. As I was stopping at a stop light while driving through Kansas City I got hit.

Now, this wasn't a minor fender bender, it was a 4 car accident that left one car totaled and had one person taken away in an ambulance. Thankfully I was not hurt, and my car can be fixed but the impact that those officers left with me will never be taken away.

This was my first car accident on a day when all I wanted to do was get home and see my family. These officers not only treated me with great respect but they also took the time to get to know me and call my parents. They not only called my parents but they kept them informed the entire time, they even told them where I was heading after I was able to leave the scene of the accident.

These officers not only eliminated every stereotype I had but they also made me realize that police officers don't want to give us tickets, they want us to be safe, they want us to feel safe. Their top priority isn't cars, paperwork, or pulling people over. People's safety is their one and only priority. They don't care about the material matters, they care about our safety, and our ability to function and be safe.

To the officers on the scene, thank you for stopping my panic attack, thank you for making me feel safe, thank you for being you!