Fallen Officers - Thin Blue Line

In this essay I will talk to you about my thoughts and feelings on law enforcement and how the fallen officers are my heroes. I'll also talk about the history of the thin blue line. And last I will talk about example of how a community will come together in a shooting to remember the fallen and honor them. Then I'll wrap it all up in the end.

I grew up watching cops with my family. I also had a close relative who was in law enforcement. It's a huge part of my life. I'm an explorer currently going through my modified police academy. When an officer dies all officers wear a black patch over their badge until midnight, the officer is laid to rest. It symbolizes the respect we have for them and that they will be missed. These are some of the protocols

"Upon the line of duty death of an active law enforcement officer (LEO) in your department. The mourning band should be worn for a period of thirty days from the date of death.By all LEO in uniform or in civilian clothing while displaying a badge when attending the funeral of an active LEO. Upon the completion of the funeral, the mourning band shall be removed. Upon the line of duty death of a LEO from a neighboring jurisdiction. The mourning band will be worn from the date of death and removed at the conclusion of the day of burial. National Peace Officers Memorial Day" (May 15th). The day of any memorial service your agency has honoring your department's LEO's who have died in the line of duty. At the direction of your sheriff, agency director or chief of police, when special circumstances dictate that a department display of official mourning is appropriate."

I've recently gone to a memorial service for fallen officers and firefighters. It was a great honor and I can guarantee including me there wasnt a dry eye. Law enforcement is part of my life it's a brotherhood. We look after our own.

The thin blue line stands for the line that police officer walk on every day - that boundary that distinguishes us from the good and bad. They're very under appreciated. The thin blue line is the line that has great honor and being in that brotherhood you know you're doing the right thing. Police first started in England but some form of police has been with us for a long time. The thin blue line is also known as the line between life and death. There is one more form and that is what my picture stands for "the thin blue line on black is a memorial or a connection or memory between officers killed in the line of Duty and those who continue with their duties in the present."

When growing up in California I remember a big shooting of four Oakland police officers, two motor officers and two SWAT officers. At there memorial there were thousands of officers from around the nation. They were in the Oakland Colosseum and it was overflowing. We had police from all over even some Canadians. The community came together to remember them. Also recently there was a fallen CHP officer in the area and as an Explorer I worked a memorial service with a black patch over my star. We gave him a moment of silence. A lot of officers were there, including civilians.

My heroes are police, warriors, and military, but my main heroes are all of the fallen officers. They are an inspiration to me, even though we never want to lose an officer. When we do, they go down with honor and are unforgotten.