Behind the Badge
“Nine officers murdered in 10 days. No national outrage…and you know what? Our men & women in blue KEEP holding that line.” — Chief Jeffrey Katz of the Boynton Beach Police Dept., Florida
I read this quote today on Twitter and I instantly clicked “favorite.” I then clicked on Chief Katz’s profile and scanned his tweets. I clicked “follow” because I liked what he had to say. Chief Katz followed me back, which I appreciated.
I liked his tweet because it was true. Officers still do the job they have sworn to do no matter which way the political winds are blowing. They continue to protect people no matter which group is spewing hatred toward them. They still report to work because it’s the job they have sworn to do.
Chief Katz’s statement was short and to the point, but as an officer, I appreciated it. As a citizen, I appreciated it also. I think officers and citizens want to see their police chiefs out in front leading to reassure them that police officers are there no matter what. People expect officers to be there, but it’s still an important message to put out there for them to hear.
This is our chosen profession and we put our uniforms and badges on despite what’s going on in the world. This career is a calling that very few answer.
Thousands of men and women will go to work tomorrow and do their very best to protect people they have never met. Police officers will do this knowing the dangers they face as they charge toward the unknown.
We, as a profession, need to make some noise about the good work officers do every day to help people and impact them in a positive way. We need to get our stories out there for people to see and hear.
Remember, officers are out there holding the line between good and evil, but you just rarely hear about it.
Be safe out there.
Editor’s Note: John Roman is a traffic officer for an Orange County police agency who writes a blog, Badge 415 (www.badge415.wordpress.com). His posts focus on the human side of police work and safety tips. Roman, a cop for more thsn 20 years, has handled more than 5,000 accidents as a collision investigator. BehindTheBadgeOC.com shares some of his columns.
