By Detective Michael J. Saxe Retired/Disabled

American Police Veterans must grow and by doing so we must reach out to the community we represent. We not only represent Disabled or Retired Law Enforcement Officers and Professionals, we represent the working or on duty LEOP’s, we represent the experienced LEOP’s who is injured and wants to go back to work; we represent the LEOP’s who are thinking about retiring as well as the LEOP’s who have retired regularly as this can be an extremely taxing and emotional time; and we represent the disabled, retired LEOP’s who struggle through every day life. We must remember that the disabled include those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Survivors Guilt. Finally, every Law Enforcement Officer Professional who has died in the line of duty IS a Police Veteran.

To make this group grow we must reach out in friendship to groups like the Concerns of Police Survivors, I am a member of that organization as well (co-worker-Survivor). They are a wonderful, successful group who deserves their well earned respect and our friendship

We must reach out the hand of friendship to the Fraternal Order of Police, again a group to be respected and regarded as a friend.

I use these two groups as an example, we need to realize that if we come across negatively or as a challenge to their existence and we do not give the respect they and other groups deserve, we WILL FAIL!

I want the law written designating Peace Officers Memorial Day as May 15th and the week that May 15th of every year falls in, as Police Week to be observed properly and fairly.

The Law enforcement Officers Professionals who died deserve their representation as do the Law Enforcement Officers Professionals who are disabled. The law clearly recognizes both.

My objective is to get Police Veterans recognized as just that...Veterans. We are the first (or last) line of defense before disaster and terror strikes our land. I have seen it first hand. I lost two close Law Enforcement friends in one of the first attacks on 9/11/2001. We will not get this by insisting our job is harder than the brave soldiers. It is different as well as the same. Law Enforcement is standing beside soldiers protecting sights that have been determined as vital to the survival of our great country. After a LEOP is retired, they no longer can proudly wear their uniform, they no longer can march in parades with their brothers and sisters. We have the only National Memorial that will never stop having names added to it year after year. The National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington has a lot of room left, yet sadly we must plan on where to put names when that room runs out...and run out it will.

I want laws passed that protect our Police Veterans. HR-218 was a recent victory for the disabled LEOP. It is one of the first laws since President Kennedy Signed the law designating Peace Officers Memorial day and Police Week, that recognizes the Disabled Officer; it begins to recognize our retired Police Veterans without injuries as well by joining a certain amount of time worked by the Police Veteran to the right to carry a firearm in every state.

We have brothers and sisters who have died protecting our nation; we have brothers and sisters who bare the scars both physical and psychological borne from protecting our great nation. There is a bible verse that is appropriate for both the veteran soldier as well as the police veteran; it begins, Yea though I walk through the valley of death I shall fear no evil for thou art with me. God and some of our country men and women recognize what it is that the LEOP does and will continue to do selflessly and without great reward. I long to have all of them recognize this sacrifice.

I have been to far to many funerals...I have seen the police department in New York recommend thousands of body bags, I have been to far to many hospitals, I have spoken to far to many brave men and women suffering from what the armed forces used to call shell shock and now the armed forces and the police departments, sheriffs, federal agents etc…call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, for us not to be recognized as Veteran!

When a man or woman straps a firearm on their body, and they may die or become disabled in the performance of their duty; because they swore to uphold the laws of this great nation, they Are veterans.

I have an objective to have our LEOP's and families receive the assistance they need....both psychologically and physically.

I have an objective to see the P.S.O.B. pay out as it should...not abandon the LEOP's and their families.

I long to see the NATIONAL NEWS report on every Law Enforcement Officer Professional who is severely injured, disabled or killed; I am tired of seeing it posted almost as an after thought in the LOCAL paper or on the LOCAL news.

A police brutality case...even one not proven...just alleged, gets immediate national news coverage...yet when we, the Law Enforcement is seriously injured, disabled or killed; it’s as if it is yesterdays news.

My objective is to see even a quarter of the money spent on pork barrel issues, properly spent on raises to entice the best of the best to join our forces; to see money properly spent on the invention of equipment made to protect our LEOP's.

I would also like to see contracts for our LEOP's that do not force those working and voting on the contract to choose between money for newly appointed LEOP's or money for retired Police Veterans or money to put food on their own tables. It happens year after year and time after time...

I could go on for pages and pages more...I'm hurt, I'm tired, I'm disabled...but most importantly, I AM A VETERAN, A POLICE VETERAN!