It's more than just a blue uniform. It's more than just a person wearing pieces of clothing. It's more than just a job or a duty. It is a life. It is a breath that is taken in the morning just before putting that uniform on. It is the family and the friends who care for the one wearing the uniform. It is the goodbyes that are said just before leaving the house, not knowing if it will be the last. Those blue uniforms are people, too.
Why does it seem so easy to forget these people putting on these uniforms each day have their own lives outside of the job they do? Too many people have decided they would rather bash the police department than learn the full story behind each situation. When did the police become the bad guys? We spend our childhoods growing up learning about how the police are the ones you call in an emergency and they are the ones who will be there when you need them. These people do not know who you are and most will never get the chance to meet you, so why should you turn on them when you have no idea who they really are?
Each day another officer loses their life trying to save someone else's. One day they may lose their life trying to save you. I'm sure up until that moment you won't even stop to think about the life they will be leaving behind. You won't be thinking about the husband, wife, brothers, sisters, or children that will be left without them. You will not think about the mourning their families will have to go through before they can even mention the name of the one they lost. Those who are a part of the police force choose to leave their families behind every day for what should be a few hours but sometimes may turn into more.
I still remember the year I used my mom's uniform to dress up as a police officer for a Halloween party. Growing up a police officer's daughter, I remember the long nights I would try to stay awake, waiting for her to come home. Little did I know, she wouldn't be home until I have to get up for school in the morning and by that time she would be getting ready to go to bed. Sometimes it would be day shifts that turn into six-plus hours of overtime or working midnights and not coming home until 7 a.m. Either way, they all are committed to their jobs and protecting the people of their cities.
Each and every officer makes the decision to sacrifice a part of their lives daily. For most, it is their families they are sacrificing. It is the time they get to spend with them every day. It's all of the birthdays, holidays, and other family events they have to miss because of their duty to protect all of us.
It's more than just a blue uniform. Every time an officer puts on that uniform they are coming to the realization of all the lasts that may come about. It could be the last "goodbye" they get to say to their family along with the last "I love you." The last time they see their loved ones smile or hear their voice. So many lasts that people don't realize come with putting on that uniform.
Next time you start to bash the police department, think about the lasts that come with the job. Think about who would miss if they were taken from us too soon.
Put yourself in that blue uniform for a minute, and realize it's more than just clothing. It is a life that exists inside.
