My Blue Family

To my Blue Family-

My husband is one of yours. He calls you his brothers and sisters. So that makes you mine as well. I claim you as I do my blood family. My pride in you is immense and my love for you is boundless.

As I sat poring over the letters, stories, poems, and tribute to our fallen police officers and to police in general from the supporters, I ask myself: What more can I add that hasn’t already been said? But then I realized: It doesn’t matter that it’s been said already, or in many ways, or that it’s been said more beautiful or eloquently than I could ever, what matters is that more and more voices need to speak. We, the supporters, need to make a collective lions roar of love and support for our peace officers- our protectors & defenders, and we must speak louder than the voices of hate.

On a most personal note, I will tell you what I know, because it is why I say what I do. I know that I married a man who embodies everything we, the average citizen, believe an officer should be. He is brave, and kind. Strong, but sensitive. Smart. Decent. Humble. Good. Fair. And while, to me, he is the most unique and special man I’ve ever met, I know that he is the norm, not the anomaly in the police world. This is what the vast majority of and women in policing are made of. This is who they are, and not just what they do. They risk and give their lives because of those attributes, as we have once again witnessed.

To the families of the recently fallen officers: My heart is heavy, I join in the shared grief of our big Blue Family, and while I cannot fathom the depth of your loss, I hurt for you nonetheless. May the love and support of this big Blue family give you strength now and forever, as well as the knowledge that the brothers and sisters of your loved ones will not allow their deaths to be in vain.

To all of our Police: Thank you. And also, I’m sorry. I’m sorry we’ve let the voices and actions of the evil to speak louder than those who love, appreciate, and respect you. No more. I will do my part in protecting you and defending you, and ask that anyone reading this, do the same. Be loud, friends. Be very, very loud. Don’t let hate and apathy win.

Stay safe, be vigilant, and may God Bless and protect you always.