Police Officers

                I have watched in dismay as policemen across the nation have literally come under fire in recent days.  One figure I heard was eight policemen being killed in a nine day period of time; another figure was four policemen shot and killed in a ten day period.   Names of those four police officers are:  Deputy Darren Goforth (shot and killed on August 28 while refueling his patrol car in Harris County, Texas), Officer Henry Nelson (shot and killed on August 26 while responding to a domestic-violence call in Sunset, Louisianna), State Trooper Steven J. Vincent (shot in the head on August 14 while helping a motorist in Sunset, Louisiana), and Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz (shot and killed on September 1 in a community north of Chicago, Illinois).  Other officers have been assaulted and targeted.

                Glenn Beck called for a national day of prayer that was set for 11:00 a.m. CST last Friday, the same time that the funeral for Deputy Darren Goforth’s (one of the slain policemen) funeral started.  The special day of prayer was for Deputy Goforth’s family as well as for all those who protect and serve our nation.

                Mike Rowe, former star of “Dirty Jobs” and current host of “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” on CNN, posted a video of Paul Harvey’s “Policeman” narration on Facebook and recommended it to all his fans.  I watched it and recommend it to you.  I grew up listening to Paul Harvey and recognized his voice and appreciated the video very much.  I hope you do also.  

                I found it very interesting that when I asked Google “how many police have been specifically targeted recently” I was given four articles about police being targeted and five articles about police targeting people – and this was on the first page. 

                I know numerous men who are currently police officers or were at one time.    These men are personal friends of mine, children of my friends or friends of my children.  One of them is my own son.  I am grateful to have good police officers like these men patrolling the streets of their towns and cities, but I fear for their lives and for their families.  I am very grateful that my son is no longer a sworn officer, but I am appreciative of his insight into the danger that surrounds police.  Every single time they put on their uniform and badge, they put themselves in harm’s way to protect and serve the members of their community.  Every time they walk out the door to go to work, their families know they may never see their officer alive again.  I do not think I could handle that kind of stress, something I did not have to worry about with my engineer husband or any of my sons or sons-in-law.

                When police officers go to the academy or join the police force, they know they are risking their lives, and they still choose to have that career.  There is danger in the job without anyone targeting them.  We must protect our first responders if only by our prayers.  Please pray for those who protect us, preserve our freedoms and safety, and serve us in numerous ways!