Saying thanks to good police officers

[damama55]

Just a quick note to tell an officer "Thank You". We had a dog running loose out here in Lake Country. He almost got hit 2 or 3 times and we were frantic to try and get him. He was soooo scared and wouldn't let anyone near him. I tried calling the different numbers I could find. Well, that was fruitless. Finally, I called 911, and the dispatcher knew we were trying to save the dog. She was very kind, gave me a number to call and said she would send an officer out. I called the number she gave me--they only operate on business hours and told me to call back then!! Within a few minutes of hanging up with her, an officer showed up, even though he wouldn't have been able to do much except maybe see if the dog had a collar with a phone number on it. Anyway, my point is, HE was the only one that came to see if he could help. What good is the SPCA if they can only do something if the dog is injured or is attacking?? The officer even had doggie treats he said. Again, a BIG THANK YOU TO DISPATCH AND THE OFFICER FOR TRYING TO HELP. I did finally get a call from emergency animal control this morning. Not much help for last night, though. She said they would come out and see if the dog was still loose.
(I did apologize to dispatch for calling 911, but told her I didn't know who else to call. Don't know what happened to the dog, just hope he made it back to his owner safe and sound.)

*to be very clear here: anything that isn't about good police officers is off-topic and will be deleted/Jo*

[damama55]

I got this email from an ex-Mountie. I think it says it all. Hope you don't mind if I share it.

"Brings back alot of memories and of course, a tear. Merry Christmas to all. Jim

In years past, most of us went ‘on the job’ as a
calling – not a money-making life choice. The job was, at times, almost a
religious experience … what we saw, what we did. Things we were privileged to be
part of. You may leave the job – but the job never really leaves
you!


In 1968 when I became a Cop, I knew there would be special occasions my family
would spend without me. Knowing that fact didn't make the task any easier. The
celebrations I missed those first year’s depressed me and sometimes made me feel
bitter. Working on Christmas Eve was always the worst.

On Christmas Eve in 1977, I learned that blessings can come disguised as misfortune, and honor is
more than just a word. I was riding one-man patrol on the 4×12 shift. The
night was cold. Everywhere I looked I saw reminders of the holiday: families
packing their cars with presents, beautifully decorated trees in living room
windows and roofs adorned with tiny sleighs. It all added to my holiday
funk.

The evening had been relatively quiet; there were calls for barking
dogs and a residential false burglar alarm. There was nothing to make the night
pass any quicker. I thought of my own family and sunk further into
depression.

Shortly after 2200 hours I got a radio call to the home of an
elderly, terminally ill man. I parked my patrol car in front of a simple cape
cod style home. First aid kit in hand, I walked up the short path to the front
door. As I approached, a woman who seemed to be about 80 years old opened the
door. He’s in here she said, leading me to a back bedroom.

We passed
through a living room that was furnished in a style I had come to associate with
older people. The sofa has an afghan blanket draped over it’s back and a dark,
solid, Queen Anne chair sat next to an unused fireplace. The mantle was
cluttered with an eccentric mix of several photos, some ceramic figurines and an
antique clock. A floor lamp provided soft lighting.

We entered a small
bedroom where a frail looking man lay in bed with a blanket pulled up to his
chin. He wore a blank stare on his ashen, skeletal face. His breathing was
shallow and labored. He was barely alive.

The trappings of illness lay
all around his bed. The nightstand was littered with a large number of pill
vials. An oxygen bottle stood nearby. Its plastic hose, with facemask attached
rested on the blanket.

I asked the old woman why she called the police.
She simply shrugged and nodded sadly toward her husband, indicating it was his
request. I looked at him and he stared intently into my eyes. He seemed relaxed
now. I didn't understand the suddenly calm expression on his face. I looked
around the room again. A dresser stood along the wall to the left of the bed. On
it was the usual memorabilia: ornate perfume bottles, a white porcelain pin
case, and a wooden jewelry case. There were also several photos in simple
frames. One caught my eye and I walked closer to the dresser for a closer look.
The picture showed a young man dressed in a police uniform. It was unmistakably
a photo of the man in bed. I knew then why I was there.
I looked at the old
man and he motioned with his hand toward the side of the bed. I walked over and
stood beside him. He slid a thin arm from under the covers and took my hand.
Soon, I felt his hand go limp. I looked at his face. There was no fear there. I
saw only peace.

He knew he was dying; he was aware his time was very
near. I know now that he was afraid of what was about to happen and he wanted
the protection of a fellow cop on his journey. A caring God had seen to it that
his child would be delivered safely to him. The honor of being his escort fell
to me.

When I left at the end of my tour that night, the temperature had
seemed to have risen considerably, and all the holiday displays I saw on the way
home made me smile.

I no longer feel sorry for myself for having to work
on Christmas Eve. I have chosen an honorable profession. I pray that when it’s
my turn to leave this world there will be a Cop there to hold my hand and remind
me that I have nothing to fear.

I wish all my brothers and sisters who
have to work this Christmas Eve all the Joy and warmth of the
Season."

I hope everyone, officers and citizens had a very Merry Christmas and stayed safe. Once again, thank you to all the officers that attend when we need them. All the best for the New Year.

[damama55]

"By a landslide vote by Citizen readers, the Prince George newsmaker of the year is Cst. Aaron Kehler, the RCMP officer who pulled over Cody Legebokoff in 2010, leading to his conviction this year for murdering four women.

In the online poll, Kehler took a resounding 49 per cent of the vote with a total of 323 votes."

- See more at: http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/news ... Gwrxu.dpuf
"Here are some of the messages received that accompanied the e-mail votes.

"I would like to vote for Cst. Kehler for newsmaker of 2014. I have worked with this man every day for the past 1.5 years. He is a selfless man who would do anything for his family or a coworker. He is an exceptional police officer and terrific friend. He does not say a lot about his experience in the north as I think he has seen a lot of troubling crimes. I think it was fate that this young constable pulled over that man and no doubt stopped many more vicious attacks of innocent women. Thanks for the consideration."
Cst. Erin Moar Langley RCMP

To see more about this fine young officer, go to the Prince George Citizen.
A fine example of a good officer. I am sure we all wish him, and his family and fellow officers, all the best for the New Year, 2015.
Again, thank you to you all for the work you do. Please, stay safe and continued success in your chosen career.
Happy New Year to you all, men and women, of our police forces, fire departments and paramedics everywhere.

[damama55]

I received this from a former Police Officer, and I think it should be posted here. Our hearts and prayers go out to another officer's family that has lost their son, husband, father, brother, friend and fellow officer.

Const. David Wynn, we salute you. R.I.P.

"I Was A Police Officer

Today, I will not answer the radio call that your boyfriend has come home drunk and is beating you again.

Today I will not answer the radio call that your 16 year old daughter, who is very responsible, is four hours late coming home from school.

Today I will not answer the radio call that your store has been robbed or your house has been burglarized.

Today I will not stop a drunk driver from killing someone. I will not catch a rapist or a murderer or a car thief.

Today I will not answer the radio call that a man has a gun or tried to abduct a child or that someone has been stabbed or has been in a terrible accident.

Today I will not save your child that you locked in a car or the child you were to busy to watch who went outside and fell into the swimming pool, but that I revived. No, today I will not do that.

Why?

Today, I was suspended from duty for doing my job, because the media, liberals, a community organizer, a lawyer who formally represented terrorists and a mayor who ran on an anti-police agenda, who are all advised by a drug dealer, liar and income tax cheat. AND, all who know nothing about Policing, have vilified my profession.

Because -

Today I was killed by a drunk driver while I was helping push a disabled car off the highway.

Today I was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop to simply tell someone that they had a taillight out.

Today I was killed in a traffic accident rushing to help a citizen.

Today I was shot and killed serving a warrant on a known drug dealer.

Today I was killed by a man when I came by to do a welfare check because his family was too busy.

Today I was killed trying to stop a bank robbery or a grocery store robbery.

Today I was killed doing my job.

A chaplain and an officer will go to a house and tell a mom and dad or a wife or husband or a child that their son or daughter or husband or wife or father or mother won't be coming home today.

The flags at many police stations were flown at half-mast today but most people won't know why.

There will be a funeral and my fellow officers will come, many a prayer will be said on my behalf, and music will be played as the funeral proceeds to my final resting.
My name will be put on a plaque, on a wall, in a building, in a city somewhere.

A folded flag will be placed on a mantel or a bookcase in a home somewhere and a family will mourn.

There will be no cries for justice. There will be no riots in the streets. There will be no officers marching, screaming 'no justice, no peace.' No citizens will scream that something must be done. No windows will be smashed, no cars burned, no stones thrown, no names called. Only someone crying themselves to sleep tonight will be the only sign that I was cared about.

I was a police officer."

To the men and women who try to keep us safe, sometimes paying the ultimate price, we thank you. Stay safe and go home to your loved ones at the end of your shift. Again, thank you for doing what soooooo many of us couldn't do. Where would we be without you and what you are able to do.

[damama55]

Written by an American Police Officer--(Bold highlights are mine.)

A RETIRED STATE POLICE SGT WRITES: An open letter to President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder, Mayor Bill deBlasio and Rev. Al Sharpton in regards to “Retraining Law Officers”:

Dear Sirs,

Contrary to what you gentlemen might believe, my “training” to become a Law Enforcement Officer started long before the police academy. It started long before I even thought of becoming a police officer.

You see, gentlemen, my “training” started shortly after I was born and it started right in my own home.

My parents, my family, my relatives, my siblings, my friends’ parents, my neighbors, my church, my school, my teachers, my athletic coaches all played a part in my “training.”

From a very early age I was “training” to be respectful, compassionate, understanding, strong, determined, courageous, faithful and, above all, responsible for my own actions.

What I learned in the academy is that every recruit/cadet had about the same “training” that I had. We all arrived with the same morals and the same goals. We all wanted to Protect & Serve. What didn’t matter was skin color, gender, ethnicity or religion.

Throughout the academy, the previously mentioned attributes were discussed at length, but “training” also included how to deal with people who did not have the same level of “training” that we had come to understand as normal behavior.

Unfortunately our society has created a gap in “training” for the less fortunate and the self-entitled. Politicians have promised CHANGE time and again only to keep dumping mounds of cash on the situation and never addressing the real issue.

The less fortunate do not need handouts — they need jobs. They need to feel a sense of purpose and self-satisfaction from accomplishments. They lack of self worth becomes an excuse for accepting criminal behavior as a way of life. If I can't earn what I want, I might as well take what I can get. If I'm not accepted by society, maybe I can be accepted by a gang.

Teach a man to fish.

Welfare was not intended to raise 4-5 generations. It was meant to assist those who've fallen on hard times. With the lack of jobs and no promise of a future, crime becomes an acceptable behavior.

Police officers are the Thin Blue Line between a civilized society and total anarchy. The police did not create this problem. The police did not make the laws. The police did not create criminals.

You four gentlemen have made numerous statements blaming the police and their “training.” We need to think about your words in recent speeches and statements.

Less than 1% of all police officers are involved in any misconduct (and this does not mean criminal misconduct), yet you gentlemen have made more than your share of statements inferring that the police are the MAIN PROBLEM.

When you four gentlemen make statements that ALL police need “RETRAINING,” you do exactly what you accuse the police of doing.

Mr President and Mr. deBlasio, there are SOME politicians who are corrupt. Does this mean that YOU are corrupt? Mr. Holder, SOME lawyers are criminals and drug addicts. Does this mean YOU are a drug dealer or abuser? Rev. Sharpton, some men hide behind God to molest children — are YOU a pedophile?

Yet all four of you have lumped ALL policemen and policewomen as racists in need of “training.” What’s even worse is that you four have done this after two recent events and before ALL THE FACTS were known.

Both instances, while tragic, had zero evidence of any racist behavior on the part of law enforcement. Yet all four of you believe ALL police need “training.”

The four of you have failed at your mission. It started by making inflammatory remarks against police prior to hearing the evidence. It continued by all four of you failing to denounce criminal behavior at so-called “peaceful protest.”

And you have failed by not standing behind the law of the land when you decided that two grand juries were wrong — the same laws that helped you all get the positions you hold today.

The four of you might need some “training.” You might need to be reminded that your jobs are to bring us all together on the RIGHT side of the law.

This will only be accomplished when gentlemen such as yourselves stop blaming the police and start teaching men to fish rather than giving them a fish.

AUTHOR: Retired New Jersey State Police Sgt. Kenneth Gross

http://cliffviewpilot.com/police-retrai ... ink-again/

Keep this going. When people read this, they will understand all police better.

[Jo]

Moved back to Local by request of the OP.

[damama55]

Three local heroes were recently honoured for their bravery--
"Three local heroes were recently honoured for their bravery by Lieut.-Gov. Judith Guichon.

Guichon presented the Royal Canadian Humane Association Canada Bravery Awards at the B.C. RCMP headquarters in Surrey.

Among the 32 recipients were Kelowna RCMP Cpl. Matt Hare for a daring rescue on Okanagan Lake, and Devin Routly and Joseph Scott for their rescue of an overturned canoeist on a West Kelowna pond.

The awards were presented for showing profound courage by placing their own lives at risk to help others in dangerous situations." (Taken from Castanet's front page.)

This has been a tough weekend, remembering and honoring the 4 officers killed in Mayerthorpe, AB, and the 3 officers killed in Moncton, NB. The ways people have chosen to honor and remember these officers, and to let other officers know we do appreciate them. We need to remember that they are members of families and just want to do their job and go home after. It is very nice to have officers honored as these ones were. What a lot of people don't realize, I think, is that officers go above and beyond the call of duty lots of times.
I hope you all stay safe and take care every day.
Don't forget to give them a wave and a thank you to let them know we do appreciate each and every one of our good officers.

[damama55]

Our heartfelt sympathies and love go out to another officer's young family, friends and his brothers and sisters of the Edmonton Police Service, and officers everywhere that put their lives on the line each and every day to keep us safe. These senseless killings really touch our hearts for everyone concerned.
RIP, Constable Daniel Woodall. Thank you for your dedication and service, and ultimately, paying the ultimate price. You are another amazing hero.

[Treblehook]

Only bone headed idiots don't "get it" that helping people is what police work is all about. No amount of examples of good work done by the police is ever going to alter the thinking of the morons with the anti-police attitudes. It's nice though that some people will go to the trouble of starting a thread where people can post their positive stories. I think it is too bad that the media can't see or is unwilling to see the negative and harmful effect of their carnivorous, negative reporting on the police. Nothing has more significantly contributed to the unwarranted disrespect for law enforcement.

[vegas1500]

Our heartfelt sympathies and love go out to another officer's young family, friends and his brothers and sisters of the Edmonton Police Service, and officers everywhere that put their lives on the line each and every day to keep us safe. These senseless killings really touch our hearts for everyone concerned.
RIP, Constable Daniel Woodall. Thank you for your dedication and service, and ultimately, paying the ultimate price. You are another amazing hero.

Very sad day in my home city today. God bless Constable Woodall and his family and co-workers.

[damama55]

This brought tears to my eyes. Another great story about an officer that went above and beyond his duty, his job. Grab a tissue, I'm sure. Borrowed from GodVine.com.

Today's Story of Inspiration

This Cop Had To Tell Him His Parents Had Been Killed. What He Did Next Is BEYOND Beautiful!

Officer Eric Ellison responded to a deadly accident and had to deliver the tragic news to the family afterward. But it's what this cop did for the deceased couple's youngest son at graduation that gave me chills!

http://click1.godvinemail.com/bclclbpqc ... 4%252F2015

[phasyluck]

Ah I actually remember an older member a few years ago who had an auxiliary tag along, probably the best encounter in my experience. Let's say I may have been doing a few things illegal and he was very calm and accommodating, gave me a couple options (which were cut and dry simple decisions)......parked my truck for me and we went our separate ways. A true public servant I thought.

[damama55]

Thank you to Duke and his handler for saving a man from what most likely would have been a very sad situation. Great job!!

Grim ending on river averted thanks to B.C. police dog named Duke: RCMP

The Canadian Press
September 4, 2015 05:21 PM

CPT150296325_high.jpg


RCMP service dog Duke is shown in this police handout image. Duke is being hailed as a hero by his handlers for tracking a missing man along a swollen and frigid river to a cave in British Columbia's Fraser Valley. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-RCMP
- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/grim-endin ... oLrTx.dpuf

[damama55]

Sooooo sad to hear of another young officer killed.
Catherine Campbell, missing NS police officer, found dead with murder suspected
CBC.ca‎ - 2 hours ago
The body of Truro, N.S., police Const. Catherine Campbell, who had been missing since Sept. 10, has been found, and Halifax Regional Police have not laid charges yet.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to her family and friends, and her police family in Truro, Nova Scotia.

Our thanks, too, to the many, many officers across the provinces and the US who were involved in the search for baby Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette. When I heard her little body had been found, all I could think was that she would be with her Daddy now. From all reports, he loved her dearly. It is heartbreaking to read and hear of this horrendous act, and I can't imagine how the officers are feeling and still expected to do their job.
Again, men and women of our police forces, thank you for doing your best to protect us and to try to bring good results from terrible crimes.
Please, stay safe and hopefully each and everyone of you are able to return to your families and loved ones at the end of your shifts.

[damama55]

A BIG thank you to the officers that came as soon as possible last night to attend to the idiot that broke a wheel off his nice new truck on the corner of Woodsdale and Bottom Wood Lk. Rd. They said they were held up by attending to other drunk drivers. The driver had been trying to get home by still trying to drive along Woodsdale, with vehicles pulling over to let him by. The officers came, took the drunk into custody, got his very damaged truck towed, and took pics of where the tire was compared to where his truck was, about 2 blocks away. Thank God no other vehicles or pedestrians were damaged or injured, and no officers were hurt, as a drunk is very unpredictable. Thank you, Officers, and stay safe.