Recent events in the small area of Harford County, Maryland, the beloved place I call my hometown, have weighed heavy on many hearts...
On Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, a call was made at a Panera in the town of Abingdon requesting a police officer to check out a man who was described as a suspicious character. When the officer appeared, he calmly approached the table and sat down across from the man. He proceeded to ask the man how his day was, when the man pulled a gun to the officer's temple, shooting him in cold blood.
When the man fled the scene, another officer arrived in efforts to chase the man down. Knowing the man was armed and clearly not afraid to take action, the officer put his safety at risk to save other civilians from harm. The officer engaged in a shoot-off in which both him and the attacker were fatally shot.
It was not long after that both of these officers fell to their injuries.
I have taken a moment to pause and reflect on these events. It was just a normal Wednesday, as any other. Long time veterans of both the U.S. military and then Harford County Law Enforcement, these officers have served others and responded to countless calls of help through the years. While there is comfort in knowing that there has never been this extreme of a problem in so long, it is horrific to think that something so devastating could occur on any day at any moment.
It is no secret that America has been in turmoil do to countless cases that focus on police brutality, most of them relating to racial tension. But let us just stop and take the political facets out of the equation. Let us look at people, as people. Pure and simple.
I have an immense respect for both military and law enforcement. Why would anyone give up his/her security, safety, and life to serve others? Logically to me, these individuals are just selfless, caring, and loyal people: humanitarians. The idea that the entire identify as a whole of these individuals are conveyed as power hungry, cold, and abusive because of the rare few cases breaks my heart. How can we stereotype an entire population of people who put their lives on the line to serve others?
I am lucky enough to have family and friends that serve as first responders in law enforcement that have never been severely harmed, thank God. However, that is unfortunately not the case for many. For many people, including the families of the fallen heroes in Harford County, their times were cut short. It is time that we start dehumanizing the law enforcement and realize that there are real, living people behind the badge. Real people with real families and real lives, just like any other human being.
Let us all take a moment, to say thanks: to honor those brave, selfless individuals. For those who know that when they leave the comfort of their homes in the morning, they may never make it back. For those who dedicate their lives to protecting others. For those who are gone, but never forgotten.
