Day 17: Law Enforcement Officers

This post is part of “30 days of Giving Thanks” To read more within this series, click here.

The past year has been full of anti-cop, anti-authority movements seeking to undermine or destroy law enforcement officers. Only half of Americans have confidence in police officers according to a Gallup Poll conducted in June. Many Americans have this strange idea that law enforcement officers are modern-day Gestapo agents waiting to trample their rights. Our officers are not Gestapo. Contrary to what many think, they can’t discharge one bullet without accounting for it. They are monitored closely and scrutinized heavily by their peers, their superiors and the public.

Are there corrupt police officers?

Yes.

Are they the majority?

No.

How often is it said that you can bribe your way out of trouble here in America? People try to do so, but often fail miserably. In other countries, corruption is rampant. Bribery is needed to get even the right thing done.

We are so very blessed to have men and women who are willing to put on a target (read: badge) every single day and act as a buffer between evil and the rest of us. We are fortunate that we still have justice in our country (even if the judges lack common sense at times).

I am thankful for the state troopers, border patrol, highway patrol, city police, sheriff’s deputies and SWAT teams that put their life on the line daily to protect total strangers. It’s a huge stress on them and their families and many officers die soon after retirement from the massive amount of prolonged stress.

I am thankful that God has allowed there to be a majority of honest people in these professions. If you haven’t read this post on praying for law enforcement, check it out and say a prayer for them.

To all of those who are in law enforcement or who have served in the past:

Thank you.

Thank you for being at the scene of fatal accidents, directing traffic and preventing greater destruction.

Thank you for keeping an eye out for danger in the middle of the night so we can sleep safely in our beds.

Thank you for holding back your temper when people spit on you and say all sorts of derogatory things to your face.

Thank you for pulling drunk drivers off the roads so that we can get home without incident.

Thank you for rescuing children from domestic violence.

Thank you for pulling drug dealers off the streets.

Thank you for responding to calls in the middle of the night, working holidays and weekends and standing in extreme heat and extreme cold as the situation demands.

Thank you.