I don’t normally post such things but I feel, more and more, that I need to include something with a little more substance than just my running, my planning, my dolls and bracelets and my goth lifestyle out to the world and HOPEFULLY someone reads it, listens, researches it and my post has made a positive difference. Going into 2017 I think you’re going to start to see a lot more of this from me.
Sobering news this morning as CNN reports that officers shot and killed in the line of duty this year has INCREASED 68% over last year alone. 68% folks. Think about that for a moment. When you accept a job, you do it knowing certain pros and cons. When you’re in EMS you expect that you are going to deal with drunks, with drug addicts, with those that abuse (on all levels) and don’t view laws or rules as necessary. If you are a nurse, a doctor, and EMT you know that there is a very minuscule risk that something ‘life threatening’ can happen to you – blood born pathogens, aggressive patients, etc. When you’re a firefighter you go in knowing that one day the fire -may- win and knowing that you will at least inevitably deal with it reminding you at some point that it’s a force of nature. But when you’re an officer, you go in knowing that someone may attack you solely with the purpose of killing you because of what you represent now. You accept that there are those that wish to do you harm, and even possibly eliminate your life solely because you accepted the uniform and badge. But you do it because you want to make a difference…..you want to help the victims of those that I mentioned above, you want to protect those that are innocent from those that want to watch the world burn even if that means your life is forfeit. Think about that for a minute.
Then remember this article as proof of that in this day and age. 68% increase in officers SHOT to death. The Officer Down Memorial Page (OMDP) reports that as of right this minute, there are a total of 137 officers who have been killed in the line of duty (meaning on shift) since the 1st of the year. Of those, 64 have been from gunfire alone. More than DOUBLE the number of officers shot and killed this year, year to date.
As we go into this holiday season, please do me a favor. Thank an officer…better yet more than one. If possible go to your local law enforcement department and do something positive to show your gratitude for the check that they’ve signed when they swore that oath and accepted that badge. Our law enforcement, day after day, is making the same promise that our military does in offering up their lives for ours to ensure peace still holds true in this county over chaos. SHOW them that you appreciate that sacrifice and please, PLEASE realize that is exactly what it is. Law enforcement isn’t what most of us think it is, or even what we think it SHOULD be anymore. Until we as a society recognize that, and take the necessary steps to also protect those that watch over us, I fear that these numbers will unfortunately continue to grow.
Chrysalis Creation 