The desire to help those in need is something most police officers have in common. They often face violence, disaster and destruction to do their job.   Which, by the way, is keeping us safe.  It is a noble line of work that requires a great deal of continual training.  It is hard on the body and even more so on the mind.  Statistically, police officers have a higher suicide rate than any other occupation, due to the trauma they see.

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Today, this image of law enforcement has been marred.  Respect and honor for the position of a police officer is no longer common.  And that, quite frankly, breaks my heart.

I realize all police officers are not good.  Just like all doctors are not good.  Nor are all pastors good.  However, I do believe the majority have a desire to help their community.

If you ask an officer, they don’t want to be a “hero” nor do they see themselves as such.  They do, however, have a strong desire to serve and protect their communities.  I also believe most of them have a strong sense of right and wrong, regardless of the color of a person’s skin.

The majority of policemen and women do everything in their power to ensure a safe community for us to thrive in.  They arrest those who break the law and attempt to protect and provide justice for countless victims.  Their jobs require long hours, volatile situations, time away from family and often, trauma.  How, then, has it become a thankless job? How did they become the “bad guys?”

In the past few weeks, I have read numerous reports of attacks on police officers, not because they have done anything wrong, but simply because they wear a badge.

Incidents Include:

• Albany, NY – police officer hit by a brick on May 30; treated and released
• Asbury Park, NJ – police officer hit by a rock on June 1; condition unknown
• Atlanta, GA – police officer Maximilian Brewer struck by an ATV on May 30; recovering from surgery
• Boston, MA – seven officers suffered unspecified injuries; conditions unknown
• Brockton, MA – state trooper and multiple police officers hit by bottles and rocks on June 2; conditions unknown
• Buffalo, NY – Buffalo officer and two state troopers struck by vehicles on June 1, one of those troopers run over and suffered serious injuries; conditions unknown
  • Champaign, IL – multiple officers suffered unspecified minor injuries on May 31
  • Columbia, SC – three Richland County Sheriff’s deputies and 12 Columbia officers suffered unspecified minor injuries on May 30
  • Chicago – 132 officers suffered unspecified injuries in multiple incidents over the weekend through Monday, June 1. One officer was seriously injured with broken bones on May 30.
  • Davenport, IA – undercover officer in unmarked vehicle shot in ambush on June 1; condition unknown
  • Denver, CO – three officers struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run incident on May 30; two have been released from the hospital, condition of the third unknown
  • Harrisburg, PA – two Pennsylvania Capitol Police officers suffered unspecified minor injuries on May 30
  • Huntsville, AL – one officer suffered a minor injury to his head by a thrown object on June 3
  • Jacksonville, FL – a police officer’s neck was slashed by a rioter; condition unknown

The list goes on and on.  Several innocent police officers have been killed during the riots.  But then to be clear, innocent police officers are killed every month…protecting us.

Who is standing up for them?

My heart hurts for the loyal, innocent, men and women in blue who put their lives on the line daily to protect our neighborhoods, our cities and our states.

Yet the people refusing to stand by them continues to grow.  Just today I read the following news release…

Chick-fil-A Clarifies Their Shirts Never Showed Support for Cops

Earlier this month, Chick-fil-A apologized for any confusion caused by pictures of Chick-fil-A employees wearing “Back the Blue” t-shirts in pictures circulating on social media, FOX News reported.

The company said the t-shirts were actually in support of a local football team, but vowed not to let it happen again, according to the Washington Examiner.

“The photo is currently being taken out of context,” Chick-fil-A spokesman Jackson Spalding told Reuters. “So, we apologize for any confusion this has caused.”

What!?  They apologize because the shirt could have meant they supported police officers? Should they not support police officers?

I understand explaining the shirt, but could they not have added, “we also support our local law enforcement.”  Please explain to me how supporting police officers makes one a racist?  Can we not stand for both?

We should support equal rights and liberties for every race, every color of skin.  We should support justice and safety for one and all.  We should also support the men and women who wear the badge of a police officer.

To those who wish to defund them and think they should become extinct, be careful what you ask for.

We should, instead, thank God daily for each honest and loyal police officer whose only desire is to bring justice to victims of crime.  Pray God keeps them safe, as they keep us safe.

An overwhelming majority of police officers are still heroes, they always will be.  Who will protect them?

(Kim Potter is a writer and the founder of A New Thing Ministries, which sends a daily teaching to thousands of people all around the world. Her articles have appeared on The Elijah List, Charisma, Spirit Fuel and iBelieve.com. Kim’s message is one of hope. She speaks to the heart of those who have grown discouraged or disappointed by the circumstances of life, imparting hope. For additional information, or to receive her daily writings, go to www.anewthingministries.com)