But let me digress a little bit; the people of America enjoy their freedoms. They deserve to sleep at night without the worry that harm will come to their property or families, they are correct! Yet it is NOT the armed forces that grant them these wishes. It is the American Law Enforcement Officer who is working the battle on the war IN America every night and day.

Why then, does the American Law Enforcement Officer fail to get the respect that the armed forces get? After a brief stint in the armed forces, they are Honorably Discharged, forever recognized as soldiers and Veterans.

Cops are simply retired, as if we did not experience any type of combat; as if we did not see close friends die, as if we did not put our lives and the comfort and futures of our families on the line every time we went to work. If we are hurt or disabled or even killed in the line of duty; this should be of national interest and broadcast on national news, not the tiny blurb it gets on the local news. America does not know the sacrifices we make every day of every year because they are not informed.

If we are disabled or killed in the line of duty, we should get the same recognition that the men and women who bravely work our armed forces get. There are no disabled Police Benefits...there are no hospitals that will be there for our injured veterans. Yet we go out and fight the war within our borders everyday. We number in the hundreds of thousands, it is time that we informed America the sacrifices we make every day and night so that they may sleep safely in their beds at night.

Please don't get me wrong, I am not bitter, I just don't approve of the way our brave men and women are reported upon when they make a great sacrifice...or the ultimate sacrifice. Why is it that someone who is overseas and suffers serious injury or death gets reported on, and even those news "stories" begin to slide on the back pages of our newspapers? But there is help for their children, their families and themselves if they are alive.

It is time America was informed every time a member of law enforcement dies or suffered career ending injuries. It should not just be on the local news, it should be reported on the national news. Each and every death and career shattered.

The National Law Enforcement Memorial is different than any other memorial, we must leave room on the memorial for all those members of the law enforcement community that have yet to fall in the line of duty.
The memorial put up for the military are put up for wars that have been fought by soldiers and finished. The war on crime and the defense of a nation fought by police officers is a never-ending series of battles that will see no end.

While America has chosen to reject the military as its domestic defenders, it is the law enforcement community that is America’s first line of defense from all threats foreign and domestic. The service of these officers is no less noble or necessary. It is time to recognize the sacrifices, valor and professionalism through an acknowledgement of their contributions