What is your Profession?
“Their lives matter”
What if I told you that the job you have dreamed about your whole life and have put so much effort into school to become was told that every person in that profession is better off dead? What if you were told that people need to act violent towards your profession to get what they deserve? What if every time you went to work, you didn’t know if you are coming home, yet you still continue to push no matter how many threats your profession deals with daily.
Since I could remember I have wanted to be a police officer. I have wanted to wear the uniform, I have wanted to take the oath with honor, and mean it. I have never grown up with an officer in the family nor has anyone in my family ever talked to me about being an officer-- it is something I just dreamed about. It is something I have felt a strong passion and drive for, but with all the police threatenings going on I am constantly being asked, “Are you sure you still want to do that?” And yet it is now more than ever that I want to be in law enforcement.
I am not here to try to convince people that all officers are good, because they aren’t, but what I am here to say is try to understand what an officer goes through before you are quick to threaten their profession. It is most likely an officer isn't "out to get you" but it is THEIR job to enforce the law. Speeding is against the law, yet so many people are quick to get mad about a speeding ticket. You choose to drink and drive, so it is the officer’s duty to pull you over and take you off of the streets and the innocent citizens out of harm. Don't get me wrong, I have been pulled over for a speeding ticket in which I got frustrated, but to be honest why? Why did I get frustrated when I was the one who choose to go over the speed limit? The officers aren't there to create the law, they are there to enforce the law and that is with whatever action is needed to do so.
Do I believe that all officers are good? No. Do I think all officers are bad? No. However, the officer that raced down the street to get the person that broke into your home off of the streets is a good cop. The one that pulled over the drunk driver and essentially saved your loved ones without you realizing it is a good cop. The cop that left his family to protect yours is a a good cop. Remember some one has to protect you on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter… so while most jobs stop on holidays an officer’s doesn’t, so they are good cops as well. Remember not all acts of kindness are going to make the news or social media, but that doesn't mean they don’t happen.
So please don't be so quick to threaten a profession that does so much more than what is being told on the news. That officer that people are wishing to be dead isn't going to get her daughter ready for their first dance recital or get her son dressed for his first Tee ball game. The officer you threatened isn't going to teach their son how to be a respectable man or teach their daughter how a man should treat them. The officer you want dead is also the officer that won’t see their daughter walk down the aisle or see their son get down on one knee. The officer you want dead eventually takes off their uniform and has the most important job in the world and that is being a mom or a dad. At night, when the uniform comes off and badge gets polished and put away, their jobs never end as being more than just an officer, they have families they love just as much.
One day I will put on the uniform and take the oath, and mean it. While everyone is threatening the profession I still so much care about, I realize more than ever I want to be an officer because our country is hurting and needs more people out there that are willing to risk their life to save yours. There may be a bad apple in every tree, but don't take away the strength of the good apples.
