To my non-LEO husband...

To my non-LEO husband,

I see social media posts from several police wives cheering on their husbands who wear the badge and vest every day protecting their communities.   I see wives wear shirts or necklaces with some sort of “proud police wife” logo, read blogs by other LEO wives, and have forums just for them.  It’s heartwarming and a welcome sight to know my fellow officers have this support. 

What I don’t see is the public support for police husbands.  It’s not a traditional role to have just the wife as the law enforcement officer.  There’s usually the husband as the LEO or both spouses wearing the badge.  I don’t see “proud police husband” on shirts or coffee mugs.  They’re made to order perhaps.    

You sacrifice so much more as my husband because of my job than any of our friends could understand.  Over the years you've watched me put on my gun and badge, kiss me goodbye, and tell me every time I leave for work, “I love you, be careful.”   

You've had family and friends question how you deal with knowing the dangers of my job.  I've been asked numerous times if you were also a cop.  When I tell them “no” the next question is usually, “Really?  What does he think of you being a cop?”  There’s no simple answer so I just say, “You’d have to ask him.”    

You've listened to sirens in the distance and wondered if it was me headed to a call in progress, or my zone partners headed to me for backup.  You've paced for hours unable to reach me after hearing that a female deputy was shot on our very street, and had to keep your bearing for the sake of our boys until you knew I was okay.  You've watched breaking news of violence against police officers across the nation then watched me get ready for work to respond to similar threats of violence in our own community. 

You've been woken in the middle of the night by me having to leave for a call out even on days that I wasn't supposed to be on call.  You've dealt with last minute cancellations for dinner or plans with friends because I ended up with a late arrest.  You've had to leave work early to get our boys because I'm stuck on a crime scene.

You've put up with squad parties surrounded by cops talking in ten-codes you don’t understand, and see me laughing with them about inside jokes you “had to be there” to find funny.   On holidays I've had to work, you've made your homemade sauce and baked ziti for my zone partners knowing it would be our only hot meal that day. 

You've listened to me talk about calls for service that would give most people nightmares.  You've watched me struggle with my own nightmares from certain calls that I couldn't talk about.  You've accepted my career choice and told me numerous times you’re proud of me.  You understand why I do this job.  

I see this.  All of this.   Thank you for your constant support, your sacrifices, and for keeping faith and God in our family.  I love you more. 

Tuebor

**DISCLAIMER: Do not read this if you believe ignorance is bliss.  Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance means you are uninformed and unaware.  Leave now.     

To those who admonish the right to bear arms, who condemn prayer in schools, and who believe in freedom of speech so long as it does not offend you, remember this:   I fought for these rights, for my country, for my children, for you.  Try to take them from me, and I will shank you. 

In your darkest hour of need my right to bear arms is the difference between your life and the bad guy’s death.  I carry a Glock 22 .40 caliber pistol in uniform, a M16A2 rifle in my patrol car, and an S&W Bodyguard .380 between my boobs on my days off.  I’m accurate and deadly with all three.  My boot, belt, back pocket, and Kevlar vest keep my knives warm and at the ready.  Try to take my guns, my knives, and I will find another weapon to protect my loved ones. 

Ignorance and denial of the evil that surrounds us is the greatest threat.  So many people are oblivious to the monsters in this world.  They watch in horror as the media flashes headlines of school shootings, mass murders, snipers on rooftops.  Then the politics begin.  A trip to the mall, a plane flight home, a movie theater, college campus, pumping gas, political rallies, and just driving down the street have been recent horrors where monsters attacked with the use of firearms, knives, or explosives.  You’re appalled at first then you become complacent as the media frenzy fades and think it won’t happen to you.  You’re sheep. 

The psychology of the bad guys is another focal point in the media.  They’re all “mentally disturbed”.  That is a broad term that can be interpreted to fit a number of mental disorders.  It is defined as any clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome characterized by the presence of distressing symptoms, impairment of functioning, or significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, or other disability.

Guess what that means?  Any of you with general anxiety disorder, phobias, ADHD, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc  which are all psychological syndromes have—by definition—a mental disorder.  There are good men and women who walk the front lines every day with one or more of these psychological syndromes.  The top one being a sleeping disorder followed by caffeine induced anxiety I’m sure.   With this in mind do you really think the bad guys having a mental illness makes a damn bit of difference?  No.  What makes the difference is the choice they made.  They chose to kill.  I know plenty of bat-shit crazy people who wouldn’t hurt a hair on a fly’s ass.  Stop making excuses for their choices.  They are evil.  They killed innocent people because they wanted to and the only way to stop this from happening again is stop being sheep. 

A number of lawmakers are hell bent on making it harder for the good guys when the bad guys are…dare I say it…BAD.  While law abiding citizens stand in line with the red tape to legally purchase a firearm the bad guys are stealing them.    They break into homes and cars to steal them, take them from loved ones, get them from friends, and obtain them by any means necessary in order to break more laws that were meant to “protect” us.  A box cutter was the weapon of choice for the terrorists who hijacked planes and attacked us on 9/11.  Shall we outlaw all straight edged instruments that can be used as a weapon?  Laws only keep the good people honest.  The bad ones don’t give a shit. 

My children are vulnerable enough in this world and it scares me to death that they may be taken from me through tragedy.  On Christmas day those of you uninvolved with the atrocities that took place will gather around decorated trees to open gifts then gather around a table to feast, all of the evil will be forgotten.   Whether you are reading this shaking your head or nodding in agreement, remember:  I’m not the threat.   I’m just here to save your ass when it comes. 

Dear God, thank you for the strength to face what others fear, to fight what others cannot, and to protect them when they refuse to protect themselves.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! It's days like today that remind me how blessed I am to have these guys every day. God bless!