Steve Frey
Every day, a policeman leaves his home for his shift, and his wife has to find the strength to be brave, smile and act like it is just any other day and every other shift.
Deep in her heart, though, she knows the danger he is putting himself in and that there is a chance he may not return.
Somewhere, she finds the courage to smile for another day.
A policeman (or policewoman) receives the best training possible, but nothing can prepare them entirely for the new experiences they face on a daily basis. Every day is different, and every shift brings new challenges.
Some days are not so bad, but others hold memories that are hard to shed. Who can forget the sight of a young woman who has been beaten in a domestic violence incident?
Who can put out of one’s mind a shooting victim who will not live to see the morning? Who can stop thinking about accident victims in a horrific crash?
No, a police officer has to be ready for anything and has to find a way to not only intervene but also help the people involved get through it. It takes strength infused with compassion; it takes courage combined with clear thinking.
The stress could overwhelm an officer, but they don’t let that happen.
The thing is, people are not always rational. They don’t always make the right choices. A police officer, however, is always expected to make the right decision, and they almost always do.
Sure, sometimes mistakes are made, and there are even a few “bad apples” among the 900,000 men and women who make up the cadre of police officers across the country.
Some are prejudiced. Some are unprofessional. Those officers, however, are very few and far between, and they are certainly an embarrassment to the responsible, conscientious officers who make up the vast majority.
Yes, 99.9 percent of police officers are dedicated, self-sacrificing, compassionate and kind, and they put their lives on the line every day to “serve and protect” the citizens in their communities.
They care about their reputations, and they care about the reputation of their departments. They do their jobs with integrity and honor.
Police work comes in many forms.
Fortunately, more and more schools are able to have resource officers. You’ll see these policemen walking down the hall high-fiving students, teaching character-focused lessons, and organizing/analyzing emergency drills.
They are actively involved members of the school community, and the children get to see the police officer in a different light.
Developing relationships with teens on the neighborhood basketball court, talking with children in the lunchroom and playing kickball on the playground are some of the ways today’s police officers work to expand community outreach, make connections and enhance communication.
Police officers could also serve with the state police, the sheriff’s department, corrections, and many different branches of police work.
All of these officers face dangers that are inherent to their specific areas of expertise, and all of them perform extraordinary acts of courage and heroism regularly with an “it’s just part of the job” modesty.
The week was National Police Week. Many communities have honored police agencies for their dedication and professionalism.
At its last meeting, the Radford City Council approved a special proclamation that not only describes the police officers in the city but could define police officers in any part of the New River Valley.
Speaking to the Radford Police Department members at the meeting, Mayor Bruce Brown said, “This city is very proud of the presence of the police and the work that they do and the service you provide to the community.”
He described the reality of everyday police work when he said, “Anyone who wears that badge puts their lives on the line, and they run towards danger, not away from danger.”
That is the nature of the work. The officer’s job is to protect the citizens of the community from those who would do them harm.
Danger is always present, but so is the smile of a child, the “thank you” of a senior citizen or the pat on the back by the local shopkeeper.
Half of the job is reacting to the most challenging situations imaginable, and the other half is proactively laying the foundation that prevents problems from starting in the first place.
As the proclamation reads in Radford, police officers “have committed their lives to protecting and serving Radford’s families, businesses, neighborhoods, schools, and community.”
All of the citizens of Radford “value the courage, commitment and leadership demonstrated by our state and local law enforcement officers, who work diligently to ensure our safety.”
Yes, today’s officers are trained, skilled, and courageous in “running toward the danger.” They are kind, compassionate and caring in interacting with all members of the community.
They watch over neighborhoods 24/7 so citizens can rest easy knowing that they are always protected.
In a photo recognizing National Police Week recently, there was one officer who stood out.
All of the officers were focused and looked sharp, but one was almost standing at attention. His eyes were laser-concentrated on the camera, and there was almost, but not quite a smile.
What comes across is a sense of pride. It’s not pride in a haughty or pretentious sense but pride in being a police officer.
It is pride in wearing the uniform and pride in being a part of a brotherhood/sisterhood of fellow officers who put others before themselves, who understand the risks and danger and who know that when one falls, a ripple flows through the ranks of all officers locally and often nationally. It is an honor for such men and women to serve as a police officer.
It is proper that we should be proud of them, too; it is essential that we honor them for their service.
Every day, a policeman returns to his home from his shift, and his wife has to find the strength to be brave, smile and act like it is just any other day and every other shift. Deep in her heart, though, she says a silent prayer to thank God that he has returned home to her.
Somewhere, she finds the courage to smile for another day, but it is a little easier—now that he’s home.
Steve Frey is a writer and CEO of Ascendant Educational Services based in Radford.
