I've always appreciated the value of veteran officers who can provide wisdom and direction to their agencies. They often have a wealth of knowledge and experience that may go untapped by department leaders who don't recognize or appreciate them.
These veterans can give us insight into how to provide better levels of service and avoid making unnecessary mistakes. By soliciting their ideas, they could guide their agencies on how to handle officers who develop bad habits or need direction on how to be a good officers. Their backgrounds allow them to offer useful suggestions on tactics, the development of policies, and how to better serve those we're sworn to protect.
These veteran officers are alive and working and available to us. But what about those who have died while "protecting and serving" who can't speak to us? As my friend is showing, they can offer us much to learn if we're willing to take the time to listen.
These officers who made the great sacrifice of their lives in service to others are treasures whose life experiences offer examples of how to live and work. When we look deeper into their lives beyond the specific causes of their deaths, we'll learn about the men and women who were fine fathers and mothers, committed friends, and brave individuals who believed in a cause greater than themselves.
We will be aware of their mistakes and hopefully try to avoid the same problems. We will also find out that certain habits or actions on the job can get us killed. The circumstances that cost them their lives may help us develop tactics and plans to avoid the same tragedy. It's very likely that we may be doing something on a daily basis that led to a family losing a father or mother in blue.
