By VALERIE VAN BROCKLIN
National Police Week, intended to honor fallen officers and their families, began May 11.
Police line of duty deaths were up 25% in 2024. They went from 118 in 2023 to 147. Those aren’t just numbers. They’re husbands, wives, moms, dads, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, friends, co-workers, coaches, volunteers, mentors, pet owners, neighbors and so many other things that one life occupies and touches.
I was an adjunct instructor at the Alaska Department of Public Safety Academy for over 20 years. I witnessed recruits awaken to the gut realization that the path they’d chosen included placing themselves in deadly harm’s way in the protection of others—most often strangers.
During my Academy tenure, I was privileged to work with several Academy Commanders. Lt. Chad Goeden was the last one. Lt. Goeden inspired me the first time I entered his Academy office. Above the door, carved in wood, was a sign that said,
“The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon public approval of police actions.” Sir Robert Peel, founder of modern policing
Not surprising to anyone who knew him, Chad was invited through a highly selective nomination process to attend the challenging 10-week FBI National Academy for leaders of law enforcement agencies. As with all such classes, Chad’s was going to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which honors officers who died in the line of duty. He was selected to give the benediction and subsequently shared it with me.
Thereafter, I read it aloud to every Academy class. During this month of National Police Week, with Chad’s blessing, I share it with you.
“Heavenly Father, we come before you today as a worldwide family united by a common bond. We come to honor our brothers and sisters whom You have taken to a far greater place. They gave their lives while working as guardians to protect our families, our homes, our communities, and our way of life.
Help us to remember, support and pray for their loved ones. The wives and husbands who will no longer feel the warmth of a simple hug at the end of the day. The children who have no one to answer when they call out “Daddy, Daddy!” or “Mommy, Mommy!” The parents who had to bury their own child.
Helps us to remember, support, and pray for their friends and coworkers. The ones who will never again see that quick smile as they enter the squad room or be reassured by hearing their voice on the radio, saying that backup is on the way. The ones who will have to once again stretch just a little farther to keep that thin blue line from breaking.
Help us to remember, support, and pray for their communities. The neighborhoods, counties, and states which will have one less protector patrolling the streets. One less guardian ready to answer the call, day or night, without regard for their own safety.
But most of all Heavenly Father, help each of us to remember to honor their loss by always serving with honor, humility, and professionalism. Help us to remember to use each day we have left in this noble profession to be a positive influence on everyone we meet. Help us to remember that our every word and action should be a fitting tribute to their sacrifice.
And to our fallen brothers, sisters, partners and friends whose memories continue to guide us, we salute you. Rest in peace, and know that you will never be forgotten.”
Our country has been experiencing some turmoil in police-citizen relations. Still, we are capable of reaching out to each other “in order to form a more perfect union.”
We saw such reaching out in Dallas on July 7, 2016 between Black Lives Matter protesters and police. One of the protesters described the interaction:
“They (police) gave us high fives, hugs, were taking selfies. It was such an instance of love and understanding, that ‘I’m here for you.’ You could feel it. There was no animosity in the air.”
Then shots rang out as a shooter targeted police. Five officers were killed; seven were wounded. But not before the nation saw some officers run towards the active fire while others shielded protesters and led them out of harm’s way. Afterwards, a protester who was shielded by police, would go on national news to tearfully thank the officers for their courage and sacrifice.
Lt. Goeden’s prayer beckons officers still facing the challenge of policing in these sometimes-turbulent times to continue to serve “with honor, humility, and professionalism.” Permit me to add my prayer that you find the strength and courage to do so. And that we all continue reaching out to one another—not just in times of shared grief, but also in times of protests and problem solving.
Val Van Brocklin was a senior trial attorney with the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office before she was asked to join the state’s Office of Special Prosecution and Appeals, where she had statewide responsibility for cases so complex they required specialized investigative and prosecution efforts. She was then recruited by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute complex white collar crime, for which she received the FBI’s commendation. Now she is an author, international speaker, and trainer whose work has been featured on ABC and Discovery. More about Val at this link.
YouTube videos now use highly graphic episodes of police interactions with strangers who have been traffic stopped. All footage is taken from either the officer’s personal bodycam, or from the patrol car dashboard. Many of these videos contain sickening images of police officers being shot. The videos usually show a common interaction, that is, the police officer acting professional and most often they are very courteous to the driver who was pulled over. But the driver who is about to pull a hidden gun out starts to get combative and won’t comply with the commands of the officer. This is where the situation starts to escalate and can get out of control quickly. The officer, in an attempt to be cordial, and even friendly, then gets shot by a someone with outstanding warrants. It makes one wonder why the police are even friendly at all to the drivers. A cop once told me this:
If pulled over, get out your license, registration, and proof of insurance before the cop approaches your car. Keep your hands at the top of the wheel where the cop can see. Have your window rolled down. Be cordial, not combative. Just by being courteous and polite, will often get you on the road quickly without a citation. It’s pretty simple. Use your common sense.
God bless our fallen and protect those that are serving. This has special meaning to this Alaskan family. We lost VPSO Ronald E. Zimin almost 40 years ago, he was killed responding to a domestic assault.