One of ours, a West Bloomfield Township police officer, was killed today. The first contact I got was “are you OK?” That was from a friend. The second contact was more disturbing because he gave me the impression that being a police officer is “a dangerous job.” That was from the press.
I don’t think anyone should get killed doing their job. I don’t care if you are the UPS person making deliveries or are the counter person at the Dairy Queen. No one should get killed doing their job. Not an astronaut, not a race driver, not anyone.
When I was on the job I investigated the death of persons involved in industrial accidents (hit by a crane, electrocuted, injection mold machine). I lost dear friends who served as police officers. None of them deserved to die due to their occupation.
Why is it then, that that person takes the death of a police officer as “part of the job”? Police officers are fathers, sons, brothers, husbands. They get cleaned up, drop the kids off at mom’s or at daycare, kiss the family and go to work. They make plans for what they’ll do when they get home, just like “regular people.” They read to their kids at bedtime and coach softball, just like “regular people.”
When they take the oath to protect and defend, police officers are special. They are different. In fact they are better. But they should never die doing their job. Not ever. Just like “regular people”, they should be able to return home. No one should get killed doing their job. Thanks for listening.
-Jim Tignanelli POAM President
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