Who are we? We are police wives. We’re members of a sisterhood unlike any other. Every day, we send our husbands to work with a vest, a gun, and a badge. We stand firm together when we lose a member of our law enforcement family. We are the ever-present strength behind each officer. But we are tired. We are tired of the trend in this country. We are tired of the lack of respect for our law enforcement officers. And we are tired of watching in horror as more and more officers are brutally murdered while upholding their duty to protect and serve. It’s time for you to listen to what we have to say.
When a government official is shot and killed, execution style, it is considered an assassination. An assassination is globally recognized, nationally mourned and is considered a historical event. Assassinations make our history books and are considered one of the most heinous acts against the leaders of our country.
Today is Monday, August 8, 2011. Since July 3, 2011 nine Police Officers have been assassinated on American soil. Nine officers gunned down, executed, assassinated in a mere thirty five days. That is one officer being murdered every 37 hours. Forty-six officers have been gunned down since January, an increase of 18% above 2010’s own significant increase of 37% from 2009. There is no disputing these numbers, and there is no denying they continue to climb. Since 2009, increasingly our officers have become targets. The Lakewood Four, assassinated while sitting in a coffee shop. Officers inside their own precinct in Detroit were gunned down while simply sitting at their desks. Continually, we are seeing officers sought out by repeat offenders and convicted felons on a mission, a spoken mission of hatred towards our Peacekeepers, determined to hunt them down and assassinate them.
Our officers are being murdered while sitting at traffic lights, while sitting in parking lots simply completing their paperwork, yet there is no outcry for the protection of our officers. There is no global recognition, nor is there national mourning. Nor is the loss of an officer every 37 hours considered worthy of the acknowledgement that the assassination of our officers has become an epidemic. A criminal’s answer to avoiding arrest is now to murder an officer. It is time for America to wake up. It is time for our Government to wake up. It is time for action. When will our Country recognize the reality that has become the death of the American police officer?
You can never begin a plea for awareness involving Law Enforcement Officers without immediately being confronted with those who have no regard for our officers. There will always be the masses who have no respect for our officers, or what they do to protect our streets and communities, or where society would be without them. There is no disputing that there are corrupt officers in this country, those with no respect for their badge, those who abuse their power. Those who abuse the badge should be punished accordingly. However, statistics prove those officers are minuscule in number compared to the mass majority of honorable officers who have dedicated their lives to protecting and serving their communities regardless of the hatred they face from the public, regardless of the dangers they are subjected to each and every shift.
There is a sense of complacency across this country at the death of our police officers. Somewhere along the way the value of a human life has been diminished. When an officer falls, those who hate them rejoice, those who are average citizens look up at the news briefly, feel sorrow momentarily, and express the commonality which needs to change – the death of an officer is merely part of the job, a risk which every officer knowingly, willingly and expectedly signs up for when they take the badge. The truth is, our officers did not sign up for what is taking their lives on average at the rate of one officer every three days.
There must be an awakening in America as a whole, within its communities and cities, and all levels of government. America needs to be awakened as to the value of our officers and their worth, not only as the officers we rely upon and hold to a level of expectation to perform those duties they knowingly, willingly and eagerly signed up for, but their worth as human beings. Human beings who make the daily sacrifices expected of them, sacrifices only they make as no one else will.
Officer jobs are being cut across the country. Officers are scrutinized for not being on scene quickly enough when there are far less officers than just three years ago. At the same time, more and more criminals are being repeatedly released back onto our streets. Officers can no longer enforce the laws they did not create without fear of being murdered for performing their duties.
Our officers deserve to be held to a higher level of protection. They should be revered, just as our troops are revered. Our government acts swiftly with a mighty hand when someone attacks our troops. Why not our officers? Our government, with conviction, will immediately and permanently remove anyone from society who injures or murders a government official. Why not our officers? As a citizen of this country – a country built on freedom, a country so dedicated to keeping its citizens safe – why aren’t you more concerned with the well-being of those who ensure those rights? Where would we be without our police officers? Ask yourself right now – what is an officer’s worth?
Our officers are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Our officers did not choose the badge as a source of income, the badge chose our officers. They are called to their duty, it is who they are. They protect and serve their communities regardless of risk, regardless of scrutiny, regardless of the hate and dangers aimed at them.
Our officers already have the odds stacked against them. Their numbers have been cut, but their work has been doubled. When will we accept that the blatant execution style assassination of our peacekeepers is much more costly than reforming our prison system? When will America and our Government awaken to the fact that burying an officer is not cheaper than housing a prisoner? When will America realize where they would be if an Officer did not take a bullet for them? What is that worth?
Words are nothing without action. Acknowledging our officers will not save them. Supporting our officers will not spare their lives. Change is needed and it is needed now. We must all work toward changes to protect our officers. We must change the way we interact with our officers. We must raise our children to respect our officers and the protection they provide. Instead of thinking of an officer as someone who enforces laws that might annoy you, remember there is a human being in that uniform. Remember that person could be a father who has worked back to back twelve hour shifts, alone, in that uncomfortable uniform, hoping and praying to make it home to his wife and family. Remember that person could be a mother, working hard to make a difference for her family and her community, continuously sacrificing herself for the betterment of others.
In 2011, 112 officers have lost their lives protecting the lives and communities of Americans, and over 175 children have been left heartbroken. For every officer who has been assassinated and for every child left without a mother or a father, there is a criminal. For each criminal who still has the luxury which was provided to them by this country, there is an officer who stood the Thin Blue Line – the line that is drawn between the good and the bad. For each officer taken by a criminal, one less stands to protect you from the next assassination. When will enough be enough? When will we recognize an officer’s worth?
The numbers are depressing. But they are facts. Think of your own family, now think of your family being ripped apart because someone forgot the value of your life. Put yourselves in the shoes of the officers who daily risk their all for you. Now do something about it. Change your attitude, speak up, stand up for what is right. Pass this article on. Respect your officers. Teach your children to do the same. This is your wake up call, what are you going to do with it?
To forward this to your state representative:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
National Media Links:
| Shows | |
| FOX News Watch | newswatch [at] foxnews [dot] com |
| FOX Report w/ Shepard Smith | foxreport [at] foxnews [dot] com |
| FOX Report Weekend | foxreport [at] foxnews [dot] com |
| Glenn Beck | glennbeck [at] foxnews [dot] com |
| The O’Reilly Factor | oreilly [at] foxnews [dot] com |
Good Morning America
http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=Good%20Morning%20America
CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?82
Nancy Grace
nancy [dot] grace [at] turner [dot] com
For a printable, email-ready version of this article: A Call to Action – By Melissa Littles & Chelsea Spencer
Thank you so much ladies for the beautifully put words!!
Very well written – my thoughts EXACTLY! I sent this to every address you listed!
Thank you for your words! I love it and think that it is needed given the current statistics and lack of empathy from the society in general. Thank you for telling it like it is and putting it out there.
THANK YOU. I applaud you & your work. I for one am sick & tired of the disrespect & nonsense our heros put up with every day. It’s time to stand up & give them the respect & thanks they deserve. They are fighting wars every day at home. They may not be thousands of miles away in the desert, but they are fighting a war none the less.
Thank you. I will keep trying but apparently Darryl Issa’s page is undergoing maintenance!! How convienient!
Love it ladies, thanks for getting it out to us so fast! All of us LEOW’s are all beyond ready to take action. Thanks for arming us with this tool!
I have sent this to all addresses listed, and I am forwarding it to a few local stations even.
What an incredible article! So much of the negative is going on with is right now and every word you wrote I felt. We need to unite and rise above. Our Officers are not being protected. If there is anything I can do please contact me. Thank you so much!
I did forward this today to my State Representative. I asked the Honorable David Wu what he was going to do about it. I have had enough and I am speaking out. Amen sisters!!!! Thank you for what you wrote.
THANK YOU!!!!! From the bottom of my heart ladies! You have hit a very soft spot for me. My husband is a retired officer (retired very early from an unexpected job related illness). I’m determined to speak out on behalf of my husband and other officers. I want to devote my life to it. Let’s join together ladies (wives) and not expect others to make a difference but BE the difference!
I also wrote an email to Glen Beck with Fox News!:) Lets speak out ladies!!!!!!
here is a link to msnbc
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10285339/
Well put ladies. I just wrote a rather lengthy letter explaining how I feel to my congressman and included this link. I love all of y’all LEOWs!! LEOWs UNITED!!
Great work ladies!!!! I love it!!!!!!! I am so proud of you!! Just forwarded it to everyone you have listed and will continue to forward it to anyone and everyone possible! Love you both!!
I LOVE this! It stated EXACTLY what we, as LEOW’s feel. Once again, it’s like you looked inside my brain and heart and wrote it word for word. I have posted, emailed, and will post again. This Call To Action is something MASSIVE. I can feel it! Come on, sisters. Let’s do this thing!
Thank God for women. They really know when and how to wake us up. As parents of two Peace Officers;
two grandsons and a son-in-law who are also Peace Officers; we will pass this on to everyone in our mail box and mail it to those not on the web. Thanks again for your strength and sacrifices.
Thank you so much ladies for this post. It’s so well put! I tried to send this to my congresswoman Kay Granger and of course there is no email for her because everything on her site isn’t working. I will continue to try!
THANK YOU on behalf of my family and me for what you all do and for being a voice for all of us….I have forwarded this to the links provided and am going to post this on my page as well as print and share with every single person that I can……SOMETHING must be done to protect our Officers!!! God Bless!
As a LE wife in southern Arizona, I couldn’t agree with you more. Well said. Our local news media has repeadedly devalued our officers and deputies in Pima County and Tucson by defending the criminals our law enforcement officers pursue regardless of the facts. This irresponsible reporting affects the entire law enforcement community, and is one of the driving reasons for the hate and discontent towards our LE personnel. Thank you.
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Thank you so much for writing this great article..it is beyond imagination what all of you Police officers go through every day to protect us from harms way..and It is sooo good to hear someone stand up for what it right & good..a great reminder & wake-up call.
I thank God for all of you..you deserve our utmost respect and support.
Awareness awakened..I am taking action..this article is going out to my congresswoman & everyone on my email list..Again THANK YOU!!
Thanks ladies. Awesome job! Chelsea I am so proud of you for doing this. Hope to see you real soon.
Juli
Thank you for writing this article. While I read it, I kept thinking about the last time I spoke up for LE. It was several years ago, when I first married my husband. The radio DJ brought up a subject, which I now can’t remember. However, I called in and said my piece. The Chief’s wife happened to hear the call, took what I said out of context and immediately complained to her husband. The Chief called the DJ to “be clear ” about what I said. The DJ sensationalized what I said. My hubby was called into the Chief’s office and received an ass chewing. I in turn got a call from my hubby and received a “Thou shalt not ever do that again!” Since then, out of respect for my husband, I have had to wear the invisible muffle.
Now that my hubby is the Chief, I have to be even more cautious with my words, for fear of pissing off the wrong people. If I piss of the wrong people, he can lose his job because he is appointed. This is most difficult for me, because I am very protective of my family. When I see comments on LE stories posted by ignorant people or cop haters, I want to say my piece. However, I have to walk away and simply say nothing because of what it will mean for my husband. This doesn’t meant that I don’t EVER say anything, I just have to be selective as to when I can say something. I have given out my fare share of tongue lashings to those who have been stupid enough to open their mouths against the one’s who will be there to protect them if and when I decide to do more than just give them a tongue lashing.
In summary, if the powers that be don’t support those who support the officers, it makes it tougher to speak out. However, reading your article has given me a sense of WTF? Why am I the one watching my P & Q’s? It is the ignorant SOB’s that should be watching theirs. One day they are going to encounter a spouse or other family member who has stood by their officer through more LODD funerals than one can handle and receive either a major ass reaming or an ass whooping of massive proportions. Since I have stood with my husband through four LODD funerals the last four years, plus two off duty deaths (1 drowning 1 cancer) in the same time period, I personally am in favor of the beating.
I know that as soon as I press POST COMMENT, I will have a mini “Oh crap! What did I just do?” moment. But, with the support of other LE wives, I can face the music of what may or may not happen.
Blessings to all!
Olivia
Amen Olivia! Stop holding the tongue and let the ass whooping’s begin!
Hi. I read this on “Life in the Line of Duty,” and linked it on my blog. One of my followers was very impressed. This is what she had to say, and I agree. If you have time, you might want to contact her and take credit…
The Minute Man’s Wife said…
Wow! Somebody took a double dose of righteousness this morning! I think that if you’re going to be inspired to get passionate over something this is definitely a worthy topic! This was a very moving article. I think you should try to get it published – or at the very least shorten it and send it as a letter to the editor in towns you know have cutback police staff. Maybe with your permission, I will do that in my own communities???
I liked how you mentioned that police forces are being cut country-wide. I know this will save communities money and compensate for the loss of federal funding that is affecting so many areas. However, the price of this cut-back is going to do more harm in the long run! Crime rates will rise, prison will become overloaded and taxes will be raised.
August 9, 2011 8:45 AM
http://www.blogger.com/profile/05045351873242135645
Thank you, Suz! I just responded to her there
Twelve. On a scale of 1 to 10 my husband was just told his PTSD level is a 12. Retired.
Excellent ladies!
This is so eloquently written ladies. Thank you for sharing! I recently wrote and article for my professional organization regarding the very same issue. My association is funding our local officer down foundation as our August community affairs event, so I wrote to raise awareness to my colleagues of the astounding amount of line of duty deaths. I will forward this article as a follow up to affirm what I proclaimed. It is an honor to be a cop’s wife and I am grateful for everyone of you ladies, not afraid to stand up and acknowledge our husband’s accomplished career paths.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING THIS!!! I have felt this way since my husband was killed in the line of duty January 7,2006. My husband Officer Rich May was shot and killed by a parolee who was paroled just three short months before he murdered my husband. He shot him two times in his bullet proof vest and once in his shoulder. He survived all three of those shots, he would still be alive today, BUT the criminal who killed my husband had ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE, ESPECIALLY no regard for a Police officer’s life. Because he was on parole and didn’t want to go back to prison, he needed to be sure my husband couldn’t get up and shot him in the face, killing him instantly.
My children and I miss him every minute of every day.
Very well written ladies!!!
There is currently a bill in the house of representatives for justice for public servants (basically to pass the death penalty for cop killers), see my facebook cause for details and please encourage others to contact their state reps in support of this bill.
http://www.causes.com/causes/598228-justice-for-public-servants-act-of-2011-h-r-815-death-penalty-for-cop-killers?recruiter_id=117157934
Thank you so much for sharing this. I am not an LE wife….I am an LE and I wish all citizen read this and really really took to heart the words you have written. We are a family and every time we lose a member it sends a shock wave through all of us whether we knew the brother or sister who was lost or not.
Thank you ladies…being an LEO of an LPD officer in WA, there are a lot of great points to this. I would love to have a positive spin on the bottom inform those not in the LE family of ways they could help. We have found so many people in our community want to help but aren’t sure how. Yes starting with their home and their children is step one, but maybe we can suggest starting with local government, then national and focus on state laws or bring attention to laws that allow repeat offenders to get out and commit these crimes. That’s where we have been focusing our efforts…govenerment, then after enough governers and senators get involved it can devlope nationally. It’s a place to start! Thanks again!