Many years ago, the late news commentator Paul Harvey delivered an eloquent tribute to law enforcement with his inspiring piece, “What Are Policemen Made of?” Harvey acknowledged the collective authorship of the piece, stating, “Don’t credit me with the mongrel prose: it has many parents—at least 420,000 of them: Policemen.”
Harvey’s admiration for law enforcement stemmed from personal experience; his father, a police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was murdered by gunfire in 1921 when Paul was only three years old. His father’s hunting partner, a Tulsa police detective, was also shot and paralyzed during the same incident. Though off duty, they were likely targeted because of their profession, reflecting the pervasive lawlessness of the era.
Since Harvey’s original broadcast, the ranks of law enforcement have nearly doubled, and the profession itself has evolved significantly. The challenges and expectations placed upon officers today are arguably more complex than ever before.
Inspired by Harvey’s words, I penned my own tribute to the modern-day sheepdogs who wear the badge, titled “Gatekeepers and Guardians,” which was included in The Spirit Behind Badge 145.
What defines a police officer today? They are men and women, diverse in race and background, reflecting the communities they serve. They embody the best aspects of our culture, possessing virtues worthy of respect and admiration. They answer the call to duty with enthusiasm and a desire to make a difference. However, the reality of the job often tempers their initial idealism, as they quickly realize the limitations of their ability to change the world single-handedly.
Police officers are unique individuals, often feeling “called” to the profession. This calling compels them to endure criticism, disregard insults, overcome obstacles, and unite in solidarity, much like the Velcro that secures their body armor. After all, how many professions require such protective attire as part of the daily uniform?
Officers experience the extremes of public opinion, being both desperately needed and intensely resented, sometimes in the same moment. They face unprecedented challenges to their authority, enduring incivility and derogatory remarks. Diplomacy is essential as they navigate disputes, striving to achieve resolutions that are acceptable to all parties involved.
Each day brings new horrors, from gruesome crime scenes to living conditions unfit for animals. Yet, they often return home with little to say, as these experiences become commonplace, an unusual burden for anyone not wearing a badge. Police officers must make split-second decisions that would be debated for months, even years, by legal professionals. They are tasked with apprehending offenders, securing crime scenes, and providing aid to those in need, ensuring the safety of citizens unable to protect themselves.
They often face the prospect of lawsuits, even when chaos is managed effectively. The threat of litigation lingers for years, a constant background worry. Despite this, they are often told, “Don’t take it personally.” However, it is difficult not to when it disrupts sleep, prompting endless reflection on what could have, would have, or should have been done differently. This cycle of self-doubt can prematurely age young officers, instill guilt in the innocent, and transform enthusiasm into sorrow and exhaustion.
There is no sugarcoating these realities. As time passes, the coping mechanisms officers develop become as crucial as their oath of office. They are expected to use force judiciously, aiming to subdue without causing serious harm, regardless of the opponent’s size or the influence of drugs. They must maintain confidentiality, aware of the prevalence of vice but remaining abstinent themselves. They are required to piece together fragmented information from unreliable witnesses and limited evidence to identify criminals and predict their whereabouts. They tirelessly compile reports and manage files to build cases against known felons, who often return to the streets before the ink dries.
Officers face complaints from victims who feel justice was not served and from defendants who claim their civil rights were violated. They must be a blend of ministers, social workers, diplomats, psychologists, and UFC fighters. They are expected to be geniuses, possessing all these qualities without offending an increasingly sensitive and emotionally fragile society. This society includes individuals under the influence of pharmaceutical drugs, street drugs, or alcohol, and those diagnosed with conditions like bipolar disorder, ADD, ADHD, PTSD, schizophrenia, or sociopathy – terms often misused to excuse poor behavior or bad choices.
From the perspective of many police officers, a significant portion of these individuals are simply “jerks” disrupting the lives of good people. While acknowledging the existence of genuine mental health issues, officers need constant wisdom to distinguish between legitimate distress and manipulative tactics used to mask vulgarity, bad manners, and criminal behavior. This discernment often relies on intuition, a gut feeling difficult to quantify. When calculation, computation, or enumeration is required, there is no reliable textbook. The officer either makes the right call, rendering the situation a non-issue, or errs and faces intense scrutiny.
It might seem that law enforcement is populated by martyrs driven by a thirst for justice. This is not true. In general, those in the profession love what they do, which is why they put on the gun belt, don the body armor, and pin on the badge each day. However, anyone who has been on the job for more than a short time knows that the frustration is real, the pain is legitimate, and the trauma can leave lasting scars. The police suicide rate is a testament to this fact.
To my friends and colleagues working as modern-day sheepdogs in law enforcement, you are an exceptional group of professionals. What I have described may seem impossible, but you accomplish it regularly. For that, I commend and affirm you. I have been proud to be part of this noble calling for three decades, but your job is more challenging now than it was thirty years ago. As our culture becomes increasingly unstable, may God be with you, may He watch over and encourage you in your calling to be the gatekeepers and guardians of civility and safety in our society.