All officers know that at any time, you may be required to give your life in the line of duty. Any new officer that has not attended a law enforcement officer’s funeral needs to take that opportunity to both pay their respects and take in that this isn’t a job but a lifestyle choice. As a PTO/FTO I request that all of my trainees attempt to attend at least one fallen officer’s services.
For those who have paid their respects to a fallen officer that they know, or that they have never met, you know exactly what I mean. I find that this is valuable for trainees as they make the choice to take on this career and care for the public trust. Kind of drives it home. I know that one day I may give my life for someone that I don’t know and hope that a PTO/FTO would use my funeral services and story as a training opportunity.