| An Open Letter To Those We Serve And Protect |
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Most of you have an opinion on how my job should be done, but would never take my job if it were the last one on earth. And some of you, who don't even know me, hate me because of my job. But when I go to my job, I go to make a difference and so I can fight what everyone else fears. When most would be running away from danger, my job requires me to run towards it. I do this in the hopes of making a difference for someone else I don't even know. Most people say I make too much money, because my pay is published in the newspaper. But don't think twice about hearing about another sports player sign a $20 million dollar contract for playing a "game" six months a year. Since my job's base pay isn't the best, I have to work extra shifts on holidays, and pick up side jobs so I can pay my bills. But most still complain that I am greedy. Don't you realize that I too must pay taxes, have a mortgage, make car payments and put my kids through college? While at work I carry a gun to protect you, but should I have to use it, the media tells you that I "gunned someone down" or that I "shot and killed" somebody. They never say I had to defend myself. When I go to work I wrap a protective vest around me to help keep me safe through my shift. I use this vest so that I will be allowed to live to the end of my work day. When I go to my job, I will see more pain, sorrow, agony, death and destruction in one month than most of you will see in an entire lifetime. And to the ones who don't know me, unfortunately I will meet most of you at the worst times in your life. You will call me to come help you out with a problem. But if you have a really big problem, you can get me at a special 3-digit number and me and my coworkers will race to your house to help you, no questions asked. All you have to do is call and we will be there for you, no matter if it's day, night or holiday, rain, shine or blizzard. Sometimes my job also requires me to deliver lectures, babies and even bad news. I am the one required to ring your doorbell in the middle of the night, swallow hard and advise you that a loved one will not be coming home tonight. Then I spend the rest of my shift wondering why I ever took this job. Me and my coworkers must be able to have muscles of steel, have a sense of humor and the guts to face danger head on, all in a day's work. We must act in a second and make a decision in the blink of an eye, and spend the rest of our lives hoping we made the right choice in that split second. If not, we can be arrested and charged with breaking a law, be sued for violating someone's rights, or end up with even a worse fate. My job requires me to take an oath to risk my life to protect yours. What is my job? I am your local police officer. I ask nothing in return because it is my job and I still have hope of being the one who makes the difference. Paul Cotter is a police officer in Lynn, Massachusetts Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites          |
