Honor and Respect Those Who Serve and Protect

by Norm Beznoska Jr., Contributing Author : Americans know all about Memorial Day, a Federal Holiday, celebrated now on the fourth Monday of May to honor the men and women of our Armed Forces who died in the service of our country. But how many know about ’Peace Officers Memorial Day’ celebrated annually on May 15th? Too few, I’m afraid. The idea of a Peace Officers Memorial Day came into effect on October 1, 1961, when Congress asked the president to designate May 15 to honor law enforcement officers. President John F Kennedy signed the bill into law on Oct.1, 1962. Each year, the president proclaims May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Peace Officers Memorial Day honors federal, state and local officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The Peace Officers Memorial in Washington, DC contains the names of more than 20,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty, dating back to the first known police death in the United States in 1791. Now there are an average of 143 peace officers killed in the line of duty ever year.

Many of our Police Officers are Veterans of the US Military, who swore an Oath to “protect and defend the Constitution (and people) of the United States from all enemies; foreign and domestic”. Like their ‘Band-of-Brothers’, our Police Officers and other Peace Officers, also swear an Oath to “Serve and Protect” the citizens of their communities.

What do they get in return from their government officials and citizenry? Too often, our Police Officers are reviled, ridiculed, and denounced by a former community organizer who would rather pardon hundreds of Illegal felons, murderers, and drug dealers, than back our police, border patrol agents, and sheriffs. In February, in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Judd Brandon, President of the National Border Patrol Council stated under oath, US Customs and Border Patrol agents are being ordered by the US Attorney’s Office and DHS to “stand down’ (current occupant’s favorite words) in direct violation of Title 8, US Code Section 1325 and ‘release ILLEGALS immediately and not order them to appear at deportation hearings’ under threat of termination. Both Democrat candidates for president believe many violent criminals are ‘over incarcerated’ and the police should stop arresting them. Seriously? Not to be outdone, the liberal news media revels in reporting any police misbehavior for years on end; and the US Attorney General demands all police departments follow her asinine and criminal friendly guidelines.

Here’s a thought, Attorney General Lynch and all you perp friendly mayors and city council members: How about issuing and enforcing ‘strict behavior guidelines’ for the savages who rob, rape, and murder our citizens; pillage our cities and attack our police officers daily? Well? Are you the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of the Land, or some sorry social justice ‘sob-sister’?

Thank God, there are more of us law abiding citizens who have the backs of our police officers, border patrol agents, and sheriffs, than the criminals, cowards in government and the news media who vilify them constantly. We respect their profession, honor their service and support them with our daily prayers.

When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, a chaplain and an officer go to a house and tell a mom and dad, or a wife or husband, their son or daughter, or husband or wife, or father or mother, won't be coming home.
Flags at police stations will be flown at half-mast, but most people won't know why. There will be a funeral and their fellow officers will come; a twenty one gun salute will be fired, and taps and bagpipes will be played as he or she is laid to rest.

Their name will be put on a plaque, in a building, in a city somewhere and in the National Peace Officers Memorial in Washington.

A folded flag will be given to the family and they will mourn.
There will be no riots in the streets.
No windows will be smashed, no cars burned, no stones thrown, no names called.
There will be no officers marching, screaming 'no justice, no peace’.
No citizens, news media or politicians will scream that something must be done.

The only sign that the officer was cared about deeply will be the sound of someone crying themselves to sleep that night. For that family and those of us whose fathers, mothers, sons and daughters were police officers, every day is Peace Officers Memorial Day. It is far time WE, the People, Honor and Respect these men and women who ‘Serve-and-Protect’ us 24x7, 365 days a year.

“Greater love hath no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends.”- John 15:13.
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Norm Beznoska Jr., aka Navyman Norm, is a Strongsville, OH resident . He contributes to the ARRA News Service via articles and Letters to the Editor.

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Tags: Norm Beznoska, Navyman Norm, Honor and Respect, Police Officers, Those Who Serve and Protect, Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 15, 2016 To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!