The cheers from onlookers as law enforcement officers left Watertown on Friday, April 19th and the many expressions of appreciation bestowed on individual officers and Departments are well deserved. It seems, unfortunately, that it takes a horrifying tragedy like the Boston Marathon Terrorist attack or 9/11 to move us to express our thanks and appreciation for the police officers and other first responders who put themselves in harm’s way to protect all of us. The truth is our police officers sacrifice their health and safety every day they work for us! I know this as I have represented injured police officers and their families all across the Commonwealth for almost thirty years. Almost every day Massachusetts police officers are seriously injured and, at times, killed serving us. Rarely, if ever, do these stories of heroic efforts made by these officers make the news. We would all be better served if we heard more stories of how police officers serve us every day in ways both small and large. It would help us see how often they step up to protect us. We saw super heroes on our television screens on April 15, 2013 and the days that followed, but if we look closely at all our police departments across the state, we would see everyday heroes, even when there are no reporters or photographers to broadcast the details.
It shouldn’t take a tragedy like 9/11 or the Boston Marathon Terrorist Attack for the media and the public to acknowledge their heroism and remind us all to appreciate and thank our police officers. Next time you see an officer directing traffic, walking a beat, responding to a call or working at a road detail, think about their dedication to a dangerous job and remember that these officers are ready to lay their life on the line in an instant for you. Don’t hesitate to say thank you or offer a gesture of appreciation. It’s time everyone in the community gratefully acknowledge their efforts as a matter of routine.
God bless our men and women in blue for all they did for us after the Boston Marathon Terrorist attacks and all they do every day of the year. They sacrifice for us in so many ways. It is time we all recognize their daily sacrifices and unselfish devotion to us and say, thank you, thank you, thank you. We will be using BallinLawBlog in the coming months and years to highlight the positive contributions of police in our communities.
– Steven M. Ballin, Esq.