Members of the Thin Blue Line are all part of a vast team that defends citizens from those who choose to commit crimes. All are Peace Officers, sworn and not sworn. They have different titles: Police Officer, Deputy, Corrections Officer, Bailiff, Warden, Federal Agent, Park Ranger, Parole Officer, Probation Officer, Traffic Officer and the list goes on and on. They all have their specific areas of responsibility. Each are experts in their own fields and together, they keep law and order throughout our nation and in our communities. They all enforce laws, whether it is Federal, State, or Municipal and whether they agree or disagree with them.
No one Peace Officer can do everything themselves, that is why they are a part of something bigger: the Thin Blue Line.
For many of us, it is a calling. I know it was for me. I grew up knowing that I didn’t want an office job, I wanted to do more to give back to my community-to help and protect others. I want to make a difference, a positive one.
I consider all members of the Thin Blue Line my family. Like all families, not everybody gets along. You see in movies and TV shows all the time, the local cops and the feds fighting over jurisdiction and so forth. A lot of that does exist, some think that their job or title is more important than that of everyone else’s. Some departments don’t get along with others. Just because some don’t see eye to eye, they usually maintain their professionalism. You don’t see an all out brawl seen in the movie “Supertroopers” between the local PD and the Highway Patrol. Although there maybe differences that exist, all of that goes out the window when it matters- we all have each other’s backs.
We all support one another when in need. That is evident when we any of us fall in the line of duty. Memorials for Officers are attended by no less than hundreds of members of their department and many from outside agencies. I’ve been to more memorials than I can remember. I make every attempt to attend a service to pay my respect to the fallen officer, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for those they served. It is very important to me because I feel like I’ve lost a brother or sister, even though I may have never met them.
We are all one team, a family, with the same goal: keeping our country and communities safe, while making sure that we all go home to our own families.