Police aren’t perfect, but they keep us safe
Last weekend, surrounded by snow piled two or three times my height, I trudged through thighdeep drifts to the memorial statues of three Mounties who made the ultimate sacrifice in Moncton in 2014.
Agreeing to a speaking assignment in that Atlantic city, I had made just one request of my host. I wanted to be taken to the memorial so I could pay my respect.
Standing as close to attention as possible in snow that deep, I bowed my head and offered a prayer of thanksgiving for their sacrifice and support for their families and then offered my salute of respect.
How do you appropriately respond to people who give their lives to protect you?
I understand that there is the occasional rogue cop who abuses his or her power. As long as we are dealing with fallible human beings, there will always be a few who just can’t handle power.
Granting that fact, however, I can’t help but summon every ounce of influence I possess to stand behind the 99.9 per cent who would willingly give their lives to keep me safe.
Without delving into morbid detail, I was re-told the story of one of the three who purposely drove his police vehicle between the gunman and a mom and her daughter, whereupon he was shot with a high-powered rifle before even being able to exit his vehicle. He purposely gave his life to protect innocent civilians. How do you say thank you for that? We live in fascinating times. On any given evening, one can witness news reports of people risking their lives for the privilege of getting to and living in a country like ours.
I’ve been moved by scenes of police officers assisting refugees and their children across the border. Then, seconds later, the next story depicts people protesting against our governments, our laws, our police and any number of other concerns.
I am not naive and again freely acknowledge that police officers are not perfect.
I freely acknowledge that there will always be a few who do not uphold the great tradition of the RCMP.
However, watching people risk their lives to get to a country with laws and police forces like ours reminds me of how privileged we are.
I urge you not to take the men and women who police our streets for granted. Don’t get sucked into the cynical attitude that views them as the enemy. Take every opportunity to support and encourage them.
Each time you see those red and blue flashing lights, say a prayer. The actions represented by those lights may take a drunk driver off the street, pull a trapped victim from a smashed vehicle, or interrupt the plan of someone who intends you harm.
Each time you see them stopped for coffee, realize that the uniform they wear which openly identifies them as a protector of your safety also identifies them as the enemy of those who would do you wrong.
Const. David Ross was a young policeman with whom I shared several cups of coffee on a previous visit to Moncton. He had just lit his barbecue for dinner at home when he heard the call of trouble several blocks away.
Without taking the time to turn off his barbecue he raced to the scene, and never came home to his pregnant wife and young son. There’s not a member of the Kelowna and district RCMP who wouldn’t do the same for you.
And so to the men and women of the RCMP, I salute you. To you I pledge my support and on your behalf, I offer my prayers.
And, I invite every citizen of the Central Okanagan to join me.
With your dedication accompanied by our support we can continue to enjoy the safest, best quality of life enjoyed anywhere in the world.
Tim Schroeder is a pastor at Trinity Baptist Church and chaplain to the Kelowna Rockets and the RCMP.