On May 29th our nation takes time for our annual observance of Memorial Day. It is a time when we honor the memory of our fellow American heroes who have given the “last full measure of devotion” by sacrificing their lives on the altar of freedom. But many do not know that there is one other day in May set aside to honor our another group of deserving heroes.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as National Police Week.
Our nation’s police officers put on their uniforms every day and go to work to protect our safety and freedom as American citizens. When they say goodbye to their loved ones every morning, they never know when or if they will ever see their loved ones again this side of heaven.
Being a police officer has always been a relatively dangerous profession. Unfortunately, in the aftermath of the vile and inaccurate attacks on America’s police forces by Black Lives Matter (“pigs in a blanket, fry ‘em like bacon”), violent crimes in our major cities have increased drastically, accompanied by violent pre-meditated attacks on police officers.
“All across the country, our communities are seeing the real-life consequences of unchecked crime,” National FOP President Patrick Yoes said. “Violence directed at law enforcement officers is skyrocketing—it’s the worst I have seen in my 36 years in law enforcement.”
Yoes said in his statement, “When police are viewed as the bad guys, criminals feel emboldened. When rogue prosecutors hand out slaps on the wrist to serious offenders, criminals understand they will face no significant consequences for their actions. And when police are handcuffed by policies established by local officials and told not to enforce certain crimes, traffic codes, or other quality-of-life regulations, you create an environment in which the criminals feel safe and our citizens are scared.”
The last two years have been incredibly difficult for law enforcement and their families and more and more law enforcement officers to consider changing careers altogether.
Adam Davis, a former law enforcement officer, FBI-trained hostage negotiator and co-author of Prayers & Promises for First Responders, warned, “What’s happened is law enforcement as a whole has just been dehumanized, and people don’t really look at officers as actual human beings anymore. They don’t see them as mothers, fathers, coaches, your neighbors.”
“This is a reminder that every man and woman that puts on a uniform, that puts on a badge and a duty belt, every man and woman that you see that maybe pulled you over, gives you a warning or a ticket or works a wreck in response to your worst day, they’re human beings, they’re deserving of grace, they’re deserving of mercy.”
Davis believes it’s time for Christians to lead the way in civically defending law enforcement. He’s calling for those supporting police to “be louder than the voice of those who oppose us and who hate us.”
“We need the Church to stand up and not be cowards. We need the Church to be a voice of the righteous for those who are good,” he said, citing Revelation 21:8. “We can’t sit on the sideline anymore. We have to be a voice.”
We must always remember, that the police are the thin blue line standing between civilization and chaos. Does anyone reading this column really think that if the police went on strike, dangerous criminal mischief and human tragedy would not quickly ensue?
God knew that fallen and evil behavior will always be with us, so He ordained the civil magistrate to punish evil doers and to reward those who do that which is right. (Rom. 13:1-4). Since scripture makes a point of praising law enforcement, so should we.
Every year the Good News Journal dedicates it’s May issue to honoring the local men and women of law enforcement who put their lives on the line for us everyday to keep us safe. The next time you see a police officer tell them how much you appreciate their service and sacrifice. They definitely deserve it!