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How today’s cops are in good company with Vietnam veterans

Law enforcement will endure the bullets and verbal abuse and emerge, as did the Vietnam veterans, to occupy a place of honor in our nation’s history

The following — sickening — incident actually happened to an officer. We’ll call him John.

Our story starts with John on foot as he rode an escalator through an American airport complex unaware that danger lay ahead. John was proud of the uniform he wore. On this day, however, he has just finished his tour of duty and is on his way home, just happy to be alive.

This tour was a particularly tough one, because he found it necessary to take a life. The fight was close quarter and he had to watch a man whom he had shot take his last breaths. John knew he might someday have to take the life of another, because of the career he had chosen, but that was not why he chose a life of service. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and not only serve, but to make a difference as his father had.

Now that he was heading home alive all John could feel was relief. There would be time to grieve lost innocence later.

As John stepped off the escalator he entered a large food court area and there they were; a ragged line of protesters gathered holding signs. It seemed as if they were waiting just for him. As John’s uniform came into view, the group came alive with a seething anger.

The protesters began encroaching into John’s space, chanting as one mindless mass, blocking his path. They seemed to hate him even though they did not know him.

John realized immediately that he should not be alone, but he was. From the officer’s point of view it appeared as if these demonstrators wanted his blood. This was puzzling to John, because these were the very people he risked his life for.

Suddenly one demonstrator darted out of the crowd and spit directly into John’s face and growled at him “Mur-der-er!” He sounded each syllable out individually for emphasis. The crowd joined in chanting “Mur-der-er! Mur-der-er! Mur-der-er!”

The officer’s basic instincts told him to flatten this man, but common sense cautioned him to let this act of disrespect pass. He was not only outnumbered, but he was also alone and unarmed.

Then John saw a sight he could hardly stand. It hurt him more than being spat upon. A group of the demonstrators were burning the American flag and stomping on it as others waved the flag of a foreign country. This sight broke his heart. The tears that flowed surprised him as much as the protesters had.

John now was glad for the spit in his face for it served to camouflage his tears as he wiped them away, ironically with the same sleeve of his Class A uniform, that had the flag emblazoned on it.

John swore an oath to defend and protect that flag, the Constitution, and even these demonstrators when he first put on the uniform. The young officer looked at the hate in the eyes of these people and couldn’t process it, because he knew how much he and others had sacrificed for their safety and freedom.

Instead of talking, arguing, or fighting with these angry people he pushed quickly through them and when the opportunity arose the young officer raced out of this tight spot and slipped into a bathroom. As soon as entered the bathroom John darted into a stall. There he quickly ripped off his uniform with tears running down his face. He changed into some civilian clothes he had in his duffle bag.

He waited silently for a time to regain his composure and finally slipped away unnoticed.

Where Did This Happen?
You probably are angrily asking who was this officer and where did this happen? It happened repeatedly all over America some 45 plus years ago. This officer’s story was a composite of the many Vietnam veterans, who experienced a homecoming like this after risking their lives for their country.

I am reminded of them now as I watch how some crowds treat police officers all over the nation. So all off you officers standing on the line listening to the hateful chants and being spat upon remember that you are in good company. Your courage, patience and resolve remind me of those heroes of my youth — the Vietnam veterans who fought with honor for many and were derided by a few who had no sense of honor.

There are many older gentleman and women these days, who proudly wear a cap that says “Vietnam Veteran.” There is honor in that and we now universally recognize them as heroes.

It is interesting to note that there are none that wear a hat that says “I spit on a Vietnam Vet,” for there was no honor in that. Few of these curs will admit their dastardly deed.

The Good News
The pendulum has swung back for the Vietnam vets. They are universally respected for having answered the call of their country. I promise you that same pendulum will swing back for law enforcement as well. The Vietnam vets endured the bombs, the bullets, and the abuse and have emerged heroes. Sadly I was too young to serve beside them, but it would have been an honor to do so.

American law enforcement will endure the bullets and verbal abuse and emerge as did the Vietnam veterans to occupy a place of honor in our nation’s history. Sadly, I am too old to serve beside you all, but it would be an honor to do so as well.

You must never forget the importance of your jobs. Never give up and to borrow a phrase from our Marine Vietnam veterans, Semper Fi!

Lt. Dan Marcou is an internationally-recognized police trainer who was a highly-decorated police officer with 33 years of full-time law enforcement experience. Marcou’s awards include Police Officer of the Year, SWAT Officer of the Year, Humanitarian of the Year and Domestic Violence Officer of the Year. Upon retiring, Lt. Marcou began writing. Additional awards Lt. Marcou received were 15 departmental citations (his department’s highest award), two Chief’s Superior Achievement Awards and the Distinguished Service Medal for his response to an active shooter. He is a co-author of “Street Survival II, Tactics for Deadly Encounters,” which is now available. His novels, “The Calling, the Making of a Veteran Cop,” “SWAT, Blue Knights in Black Armor,” “Nobody’s Heroes” and Destiny of Heroes,” as well as his latest non-fiction offering, “Law Dogs, Great Cops in American History,” are all available at Amazon. Dan is a member of the Police1 Editorial Advisory Board.
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