I bleed blue. This hasn’t always the case. In fact, I would say, most of my career, I looked at this as “just my job.” Something I did. Something I am good at doing. If I was better at the other jobs I tried before I got into law enforcement, I wouldn’t be were I am today. However, over the past fifteen years, I’ve learned this about me: I bleed blue. If you cut me, don’t be surprised if my blood comes out looking alien.
It wasn’t until I lost someone in my department that I realized exactly who I am; what I am. That day, all I cared about was being with my family. I hugged and held on to people I hardly knew. My brother, my biological brother, is a cop in another state. He heard the news. He called to check on me. To check on my family. Within the next couple days, he was making arrangements to be here for the funeral. My family is his family. When my parents heard, they paid for his airfare. My family is their family.
It was a rough weekend for cops. While the country celebrated the birth of our great nation, we lost two brothers in Indiana. Two others were ambushed in Lakewood, Colorado. Thankfully, they survived. In Salt Lake City, two officers responding to a report of stolen cell phone were surrounded and attacked. One of the officers was stabbed in the back just below his vest. Thankfully, it was a not a life-threatening injury, as reported by the news.
Officer Perry Renn was a 22 year veteran with the Indianapolis Police Department. He and another officer were responding to a shots fired call. When they arrived on scene, the suspect, who has a lengthy criminal history, pulled out what is being called an “assault rifle” and started shooting at the officers. Both Officer Renn and the suspect were hit. The suspect lived. Officer Renn did not.
The shooter’s family wants us to feel bad for him because his father died of a hart attack while in custody. His grandmother said of her grandson, “[He] is not a bad person in spite of what happened. Things happen,” and, “It’s horrible about what took place, but, I mean, I don’t think it’s fair though for them to keep dragging him through the mud.” The news reports also said the family of the shooter said all of this could have been avoided if the officer just stayed in the car.
Indiana Police Officer Jeffrey Westerfield was shot and killed in what is being called an ambush on his 47th birthday. Westerfield is father of four daughters and was engaged to be married. He was a 19 year veteran with the department. Westerfield was a veteran of the Gulf War. Three have been taken into custody in relation to the shooting, one of which is being called a person of interest.
Two police officers were shot in Lakewood, Colorado. When responding to a welfare check, the suspect came out shooting. One of the officers never made it out of his car. Two officers, a male and a female, were wounded in the attack. The male officer was hit in his ballistic vest and is recovering. The female officer suffered more severe wounds, and is still in the hospital.
The Lakewood shooting hits close to home to me. My brother is a police officer in Colorado, not far from Lakewood. When I hear of such events, I have to check on him. No, this was not his department. It was, however, a reminder to me that evil can strike us anywhere, and at anytime.
While following up on a reported stolen cell phone, two Salt Lake City police officers knocked on a door. While talking to someone at the door, approximately 10-12 people came out and began assaulting the officers. During the attack, one of the officers was stabbed just above his duty belt. Both officers received injuries, and were seen at the hospital and released.
Not one of these events are the result of an overzealous tactical team. These weren’t cases of “militarized” units, kicking in the wrong doors. These were all patrolmen and women doing routine patrol work when they were attacked. These were men and women serving their communities, trying to make their neighbor’s lives better and safer.
No one forced us to become cops. Maybe like me, some of these officers tried other career choices and got into law enforcement and realized it’s what they’re good at. Maybe they’re following in someone’s footsteps, or maybe they were living a life-long dream. The bottom line is, we are who we are. We do what we do. We try to serve the community, and to make it better. This week, I lost two brothers. I almost lost a third, as well as a sister. Only some will understand. Those who do, like me, they bleed blue.
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