National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Kicked Off Yesterday

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day kicked off yesterday and sparked a welcome media campaign to make officers everywhere feel just a bit more appreciated.

Twitter posts, Facebook posts, images, collages, meetings and videos could be found everywhere. The National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (LEAD) was called by the organization titled Concerns of Police Survivors Inc. (COPS) in partnership with a number of supporting organizations.

2015 has been a rough year for the American society. Divisive trends have brought confidence and trust in our country’s law enforcement officers to record lows. Police violence has held the headlines for months on end. Against this negative background, the National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is a welcome event to remind everyone that law enforcement officers need our support too.

The actions of few are shadowing those of many other law enforcement officers to the degree where we forget that public service is a difficult task. Above all, it is a calling. For all those who keep us safe at the cost of their own lives, the National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day kicked off yesterday, January 9th.

Secretary Jeh O. Johnson released a press statement on this occasion:

“Today, on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, I would like to thank all law enforcement officers serving our communities. From the frontline officers across the Department of Homeland Security, to the federal, state and local officers we work with every day, your important efforts go unnoticed far too often”.

In preparation for the special day, the COPS organization released some numbers to help us understand a broader image of law enforcement as a career option. According to these numbers, there are 780,000 law enforcement officers nationwide who actively engage on a day-to-day basis in serving us.

Despite the often unappealing conditions, the men and women in uniform put on their badge every day and face situations which few of us could handle. They are trained to do so and do it eagerly in following their calling.

However, each year there are 105 to 203 law enforcement officers who lose their lives in the line of duty. Another 50,000 are assaulted yearly, while 14,000 suffer injuries which can be debilitating. In addition, a gruesome number of approximately 300 law enforcement officers per year commit suicide.

The National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is meant to show the reverse of the coin. Too often headlines are held by police violence and police brutality. Yet, few publications or media channels bother to portray the other side of the coin as well.

Photo Credits: Flickr