Jan 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 1

FROM THE GUEST

FROM THE GUEST EDITOR’S DESK rex evans It’s All About Sacrifice For some, a career in Law Enforcement means Service, Protection, Defending the Innocent and bringing those who wrong others, to Justice. To others, it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream or the continuation of a family who, for generations wore a badge. Whatever the reason you decided to wear a badge, the fact remains, you did or still do so. A lot of sacrifice went into that decision. The Pre-Academy testing. The “Academy Life” and of course, the job itself. Sacrifice is something, we all have in common. If you’ve been a cop for five years or more, worked the streets the entire time, you definitively know sacrifice. You’ve got the blazing hot, humid days and nights of summer along the Gulf Coast. The sub-freezing, blinding snowstorms in Montana. Crazy, wild big-city nights in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. All of which, in their own special way, demand a high degree of sacrifice. Then of course, there’s the suburban and rural brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement. Long hours because well, you’re it. There is no one else to call or other Divisions and Districts from which to pull from. A call comes in, you go out. It really is simple math. That’s the “Professional” side of sacrifices to those wear a badge must make. Let alone, the “personnel” side. You know, gone from home all the time. Working two and three extra-jobs so your significant other and kids can have everything you never had. Maybe it’s so your family can live in a great neighborhood and the kids can go to a great school. Whatever the reason, those sacrifices all take a toll. None of the above even begins to touch on the sacrifice we make from time to time, in that we can’t say or speak our mind to anyone. We just watch the blatant stupidity, raw hatred and senseless violence go about our communities. We just smile and say nothing. Of course, there’s also the supervisor part of this equation. They’re the good ones. The bad ones. The micro-managing ones. The “I don’t know” ones and the worst kind of supervisor of all, the pure evil ones. Those who live to make others under their “Command” as miserable as possible. Why? Because they think it’s fun. To endure the roller coaster supervision of Law Enforcement requires an exorbitant degree of patience, prayer and sacrifice. There’s one kind of sacrifice most don’t like talking about. That’s the sacrifice we make when one of us doesn’t come home at the end of our shift. It’s the kind of sacrifice which tends to make all the other sacrifices seem small. Almost, unimportant. If anyone ever tells you “Police Work” is just another government job which only requires you to breath, walk and talk at the same time. Feel free to…well, no. Don’t do that. But be mindful of all the sacrifices you’ve made. Remember the long nights, hard days and moments of pure heartbreak you’ve endured. Remember that sacrifice comes with a high price and something else… Sacrifice comes with the nobility making this old world just a little bit better today than it was yesterday. And, no one would’ve been the wiser tomorrow, had it not been for you. Your sacrifices in this career, in this life are deep and oftentimes, hurtful to those around you. And yet, I would beseech you to understand throughout the history of mankind, cops are the ones who’ve always made the greatest of sacrifices for the many. You my friend, are one of the few. And I am eternally grateful for you. Thank you for all you do, all that you’ve lost and for all you may have to give. Let your heart be still and may God’s Grace and Mercy be with us all, always. Ready To Serve You For information contact: Jim Rodriguez • Law Enforcement Sales Professional • 915-422-6446 FT. WORTH 6201 NE Loop 820 HOUSTON 10310 Wortham Center Dr. Shoot Point Blank Law Enforcement is a division of Shoot Point Blank and is committed to providing exclusive law enforcement products & services to our agency partners & individual officers. • Special indoor range pricing for agency training & qualifications • Group range memberships for agencies • Expansive offerings of firearms, ammunition, duty gear, & accessoreies from top manufacturers • Offer individual officer purchase programs from several manufacturers ARLINGTON 5661 S. Cooper St. HOUSTON 9245 FM 1960 Bypass Rd. DALLAS 1915 S. Stemmons Fwy HOUSTON 350 E Nasa Pkwy AUSTIN 1775 Warner Ranch Dr. SAN ANTONIO 722 SW Loop 410 8 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 9 Sun - Thurs: 10am – 8pm • Fri & Sat: 10am - 9pm | ShootPointBlank.com