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May 13, 2015

Comments

We are a much bigger outfit than yours, but since I started, we've lost 6. 4 have been killed in the last year, all of them were shot.

@Applican't,

That is a large number.

In my years we have lost three. Two were murdered. One lost control of his car.

RD

Your number of 3 is misleading, I think, about the cost in life of police work.

Yes, there have been three deaths on duty, but there have been many, many more deaths in our bureau due to the long term effects of police work. There have been officers who have drunk themselves to death, heart failures at home (one directly after a murdered officer's funeral, another by an officer younger than you), rare cancers (brain cancer, esp), and then there are the officers who were injured in life altering ways on duty. Brain injuries, gun shot injuries, etc due to on-duty accidents or attacks that caused permanent damages that lasted the rest of their lives. In addition to the physical damages, there are the mental effects of this work. The depression, the PTSD, the night terrors, the overall lack of trust in human decency.

Our bureau may have had three on-duty deaths during your tenure, but how many police funerals have there been in your 18 years? 9? How many other careers bury a co-worker every other year they work? Add to that the number of officers who can no longer work due to injury? The most positive outlook of this work is to finish your career with a sound body and manageable PTSD.

This isn't "safe" work. This isn't "easy" work. It is important work, that should garner all of the tools needed to do it as safely as possible. Instead, bureaus face diminished training hours, a shrinking work force as the city population grows, horrible morale, lack of leadership who has street experience, a health system that fights against them, and a faulty computer/communication system.

It's a grand life.

And don't forget the K-9 who was killed in the line of duty. He should be up there in your numbers as well.

One life is far too many and I will never be able to fathom the evil of which some people are capable. All LEOs are in my thoughts and prayers and I am forever thankful that you are there.
In my book LEOs are heroes and always will be. Stay safe all.

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