Growing up, when someone asked what my dad did for a living, I couldn’t wait to tell them.

I was so happy and excited to tell people that my dad is a police officer. He came to every single one of my classes and talked about his job. He would walk into the classroom in full uniform, and my eyes would just light up. That was MY dad. When he would come into the room, I would not leave his side. My dad was, and always will be, my hero.

But now, when people ask what my dad does for a living, I’m not as excited to tell them. I’m not as excited to tell them my dad goes out every day with the chance of not returning home.

As the daughter of a police officer, I worry more about my dad more than a daughter should. I live every day in fear. Fear that one day, my dad won’t return home, all because one person decided his life wasn’t worth it. Because one person thought his life did not matter.

It is not his fault you broke the law. It’s not a rare thing. You see it almost every day. Nowadays, you can’t watch the news without hearing about a police officer being killed in the line of duty.

Most dads come home and tell their family about their day and what happened. Everyone just sits around the dinner table talking about their day. But that doesn't happen when your dad is a police officer. He won't talk about his day, or the horrible things he experienced, or the people he had to deal with. He won't tell you these things because he is protecting you from the horrible things that he has to deal with every day.

Police officers don’t get enough appreciation. With everything that has been going on over the last few years, people have forgotten to stop and thank them. Every day they risk their lives and have the possibility of not returning home to their families, just to protect you. So, next time you see a police officer, thank them. It takes less than a minute to tell them "thank you." Those little things are the ones they want to remember at the end of the day, not all the horrors they encountered.

So thank you, Dad. Thank you for everything you do for my family and I. We love you and greatly appreciate you. And thank you to all the other police officers who are out there risking their lives every day, too.

This one is for you, Dad. I am so lucky that you are MY dad.