With all the flux in American politics right now, one may wonder what a soldier returning home from military service feels about the odd, bizarre rudder steering crazily the outcome of the U.S. presidency. Then again, the same soldier is also a cop who has seen his fair share of inexplicable behavior and hair-raising situations.
On Election Day, Officer Thomas (cover photo above) found himself back in blue after concluding a two-year deployment with the U.S. Army. He rejoined the Coconut Creek Police Department, his place of public service before the military called him up for a broader mission in a different uniform…in service to country.
Per the Coconut Creek PD site, “We would like to welcome Officer Thomas back from his 24-month mobilization period to Fort Bliss, Texas. He is a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He was also [militarily] promoted to the rank of major during that time. His battalion helped train more than 30,000 soldiers for missions overseas. It’s great to have Officer Thomas and his family back home here in Coconut Creek!”
Indeed, such a circumstance is not necessarily unusual, only ill-reported by the media—likely because it is not sensational enough and/or lacks cheap “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality peddled by news outlets.
Nevertheless, this type of tradition dates back many years: stateside cops also among military roles get called up for service as soldiers while their police seat is held in honor, awaiting a safe return.
Thankfully, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is on the books: “…a federal statute that protects servicemembers’ and veterans’ civilian employment rights. Among other things, under certain conditions, USERRA requires employers to put individuals back to work in their civilian jobs after military service. USERRA also protects servicemembers from discrimination in the workplace based on their military service of affiliation.”
With this federal Act, Major Thomas/Officer Thomas is granted a relatively seamless transition from a military unit to a police squad, hitting the streets after a conventional debriefing and feet-wetting dip in his department’s changes since donning camo for a few years.
Hard to conceive that such an Act was necessary, but shallow and shortsighted human mindsets in the past made hardships for dual-serving soldiers/cops. Giving double and getting a pink slip anyway just never adds up, so legislation was born to tidy up this heinous injustice so that selfless and brave Americans can be deservedly honored.
Coconut Creek PD’s force now has an experientially endowed policeman whose military discipline, skills, and nation-serving curriculum vitae can be shared among his law enforcement brothers/sisters and parlayed for constituents they swore to serve. It is the most organic example of the “paramilitary” ideology and code of conduct.
A colleague with whom I served among a midnight-shift police squad had been serving in the U.S. Army Reserve for many years and, as a military policeman, was called up and shipped to Afghanistan in the early 2000s. From blue to green, this cop went from serving municipally to militarily overnight.
As a member of our city police department serving in tandem with the U.S. Army, our agency coordinated looking after his loved ones here in Florida as well as aggregating boxes of supplies and goodies for him and those in his unit. (Snickers bars were a big hit back then.) For two years, this policeman served under unpleasant conditions in Afghanistan terrain. When he returned home, mere days later…he was back in blue and stoked to hit the flat-earth streets void of mountains and desolate geography. Nothing like conducting a traffic stop to get feet wet again…and enjoy Americana again.
Kindred Spirits
Since we are blending the combination of camo and blue (and other law enforcement uniform colors used by America’s roughly 18, 500 cop shops), the Franklin, Massachusetts police department recently announced a police patch redesign, one to honor military warriors who survived grueling experiences as soldiers burdened by PTSD afflictions. Our society has drawn the curtains more on the stark reality of PTSD not only born of military combat but also municipal policing, especially emphasized in today’s anti-cop climate and willy-nilly jabs at any cop in the reticle of armed reckless lunatics marinated in misguided hate.
During my law enforcement heyday, I served on an ad hoc committee responsible for redesigning our police shoulder patch and related insignia. As a former graphic designer, I fused that trait with the agency’s appeals and came up with a much more representative and aesthetically pleasing patch (compared to its former puke green hue and archway shape). Patch collecting became a hobby for me as a cop, and there are many designs out there that collectors crave.
Franklin PD’s collective came up with a police patch design which is unmistakably emblematic of our military heroes while also serving to raise funds on their behalf: Camo background is the tell.
(Photo courtesy of the Franklin, Massachusetts police department.)
“Officer/Model ‘Salt and Pepper’ (Officer Pickering) back at it again with this month’s camo patch. These patches are being sold by the Franklin Police Patrol Association for $10 and are available at the station. Last year the FPA was able to donate proceeds from these patches which totaled $1480 to Franklin’s Veteran’s Services Office,” the Franklin Police Department website stated.
This is yet another way cops typify giving back to those who serve, some in both capacities as soldier/police officer.
Yet another example of law enforcement seeking/filling needs comes to us from Reading, Massachusetts police department personnel.
“Chief David Clark is pleased to announce that the Reading Police Department is raising money this November to benefit veterans and their families through Home Base No Shave.
“While officers would in the past donate $100 to earn an exemption from the department’s facial hair [grooming] policy, Chief Clark has since changed the policy to allow officers to grow facial hair year-round. However, the department is as committed as ever to raising money for Home Base No Shave and supporting its work helping veterans facing post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries and more.
“All Reading police officers sporing beards this month pledged to donate $100 as they have in years past. So far, the department has raised nearly $1800 toward its $2000 goal.
Additionally, the Reading police “also created a camouflage version of its uniform patch,” for sale with proceeds going to military vets needing assistance.
(Photo courtesy of the Reading, Massachusetts police department.)
Per Chief Clark, “Home Base does extraordinary work supporting our nation’s veterans and their families, and our officers are honored to help advance that work each November. While residents may see officers wearing beards more often these days, the beards still hold a lot of meaning during the month of November.”
A fabulous program and enormous gesture from municipal public service practitioners to nation-serving warriors maligned in military roles!
The National Police Association brings you stories exemplifying countless ways cops go above and beyond while enduring the barks of police abolitionists/naysayers without a clue. And it is so enriching to do so.
Granted, it is not the dressing that is going to save the day but the warrior filling out the service uniform on behalf of other warriors who are couched with unseeable despicable acts upon humanity. That LEOs across the nation serve so selflessly and steward over embattled brothers/sisters speaks volumes to counter factions opposed to law enforcement. If they somehow got their way and our police forces are whittled down to mere nubs, deserving folks who are hurting in various ways stemming from upholding rights would be tantamount to the me, me, me generation fulfilling their constant diet of take, take, take!
Nope…cops know better —much better— and they evince all-things-good despite the fester of all-things-bad lurking around corners and in darkened streets.
While the nation is in utter flux right now, the one necessary constant to rely on remains: police officers.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a Bible verse rather broadly adhered by America’s law enforcement professionals who have seen it all, know the spoils of war, yet unyieldingly cater to humankind with whatever they have, without fail.