Police work is often seen through the lens of duty—a commitment to serve and protect. But it's important to recognize that this role is not just a duty; it's a privilege. The badge symbolizes more than authority; it represents the trust and respect of the community. Seeing police work as a privilege transforms the approach to law enforcement, fostering a deeper connection between officers and the people they serve.
The privilege of police work also brings a responsibility few know or recognize. The officers inevitably feel that they may have to "lay it down" for their community. Police officers who truly love their job and their community commit; they swear an oath that could indeed be their death certificate and choose to do it anyway. When the bullets start flying, the bombs start exploding and chaos ensues, those who hold the thin blue line are the calm in the storm. They are the difference makers. This is the price you pay for the privilege.
Those who have gone before us held the thin blue line and have taken the fall are who police officers are fighting for. Societies opinions about police change with every social media post, therefore, if a police officers motivations is to change society, the they will soon fail. Those who last in police work foster the opinions of good people who support the police and those standing next to them, "the next man up," the ones who have weathered the storms, those who have been in the fight. Loss of friends is just a price you pay for the privilege.
As in every job and walk of life, there are the worst of us—those officers who cross the line into evil. Nobody hates a dirty cop more than a good cop. Those who besmirch the shield that we so proudly carry need to be held responsible. Those who take advantage of the great responsibility that has been bestowed upon us need to be in the cold, dark cage we put the worst offenders in. Calling out those wrongdoers is just the price you pay for the privilege.
We, as police officers, are not afraid to do the work. Face the knives coming from the front or the back is just our everyday routine. The subpar pay, the crazy shift work, and the stress-induced illness are just a small price to pay for the privilege of having a front-row seat to the best show on earth. We can't wait to get to work tomorrow.
