This Is America

     I have sat and read post after post after post about what happened this week in America. I want to write this as a human being, a man and lastly as a law enforcement officer.  I want to lead this with extending my thoughts and my deepest prayers to the family and the friends of George Floyd. This is uncharted territory for me writing about something like this, really uncharted territory even talking about it. I don't know how to talk about it and really even how to approach it other than  bluntly, honestly, and straight forward.
     I need to take a very important moment and say this, the men and women I work with are first class professionals. The department I work for holds our deputies to the highest of standards and expects nothing less than professionalism.  I am blessed to have the career that I do and to work for the department I do. 
      With that being said, what happened this week in America was heartbreaking, seeing the videos, seeing the posts, seeing the hurt, all of it. Heartbreaking is the only way I can describe it. I don't have any other words for it. Silence isn't the answer for what is going on though. Ignoring it isn't what we need either. My voice may be small but its a voice. I've watched the videos numerous times and it hurts every time. I am not here to nitpick tactics of other officers and "Monday morning quarterback". I'm not here for that because there is no need. What was done was wrong. It goes against what every officer is trained to do before they even begin their career. It was unethical, it goes against the oath that I swore the day I got my badge. It goes against the reason I chose to get into law enforcement, to help people, to be a difference in someones life one day. That's why most of us get into law enforcement, to help someone. To help anyone we can. Notice I said most of us. I can't speak for the others and why they chose this career path and I won't even attempt to. I spoke earlier about the men and women I work with being first class, I mean that. I work beside some of the most selfless and caring individuals you could ever meet. They do things that they know they will never receive the recognition they deserve without batting a eye. They jump at the first opportunity to help someone. They say goodbye to their families everyday not knowing what awaits them on their next shift. They see the good, the bad, and the ugly. They see people at their worst moments and they search for the best in them.  There are hundreds and thousands and millions of other officers that do their job on a daily basis the same way. We swore to serve and protect you, and we need to do better. It is as simple as that, we need to do better. We need to continue to set the example for everyone else. It starts with the person in the mirror. We need to always remember why we chose this profession. Not to have power, not to have control, but to help the people that need us. 
     Now don't confuse this as a plea to forget what has happened, never forget that. But at what point do we decide as a society, to do something? Hear my simple request..... Retaliate. Yes you read that correctly, a cop told you to retaliate. But retaliate in one simple fashion, out of love. Find something and do it. If we allow hatred to take over then we will only revert back to our history. Our country is hurting, and it should be."This is America", that's something that I've been seeing in post after post. Mocking the fact that this is what our country has fallen to. Is this the America we want? America filled with Hatred? America filled with Racism? America filled with Violence? This isn't what the many people before us fought for, this is not what people suffered for. It's clear what is happening, so clear that if you don't see it, you are CHOOSING not to. We need to change, we need to accept the fact that the issues are here and they are as evident as they have ever been. We need to accept that, but we should refuse to settle for that. We are in unprecedented times right now... how could there ever be a better time to change everything? 
     It's time we fix it. I tend to leave my posts with a challenge, my challenge to you right now, and yes it sounds corny but maybe its what we need. My challenge is to take this pain, take the anger, take the sadness and refuse to let it take over. Love each other. If you see wrong doing, start the conversation. If you can help somebody, don't standby and watch, help them. "Be the change you wish to see in the world". Set the example, don't look for others to do it. 
     "This is America" lets make it Our America.