To all who work the street, especially men and women in uniform: We see you, we are here, and we have your back.
Who are we? We are the men and women who are off duty, working and walking all around you. We are the moonlighting off duty cops, we are the retired who move around you and notice when you are in a potentially dangerous traffic stop or maybe taking someone into custody in a department store, we see you, you may not see us and you may never know us, but we are there.
I can’t tell you how many times in my almost 14 years of retirement that I slowed down to check on an officer, pulled over and waited to see that he or she was OK. I watched from a comfortable distance to make sure an officer was not being overwhelmed by the situation. What could I or would I have done? I would have done everything from make a phone call to the local PD for more assistance to actively and physically help the officer do whatever he or she needed to do.
I’m retired, but after 30 years of service I’m still in tune with the reality of police work and have two sons who are considering and being screened for LE.
So remember, we are here and we are watching. We know our place for the most part, and we will not interfere where we are not needed or wanted. But we do exist and you need to know that.
Retired and watching.