Today, Houston Police Department laid one of their officers to rest, Off. Kevin Will. Officer Will was attending to an hit-and-run accident on the north loop and was hit by a drunk driver that ignored the warnings and barriers. Officer Will had been an officer for 2 years and leaves a pregnant wife and two children. The images from the funeral are moving, because everyone that has a personal attachment to an officer (spouse, sibling, parent, friend) has the same dread of being in that position. Someone’s disregard for the law causes the death of a person with a personal calling to uphold the law.
I’ve been in the Pasadena CPA class for 12 weeks now (assistthecpa.org), meeting Pasadena officers, sergeants, a Lieutenant, and even Chief Thaler. I always had an interest in law enforcement – what boy doesn’t want to be a cop, and my friend, Off Bobby Keen encouraged me to join. I have loved being in the CPA class, meeting and getting to know officers, seeing the dedication they have to their job, and seeing the honor and integrity that they live in their lives. It’s made me realize how tenable and valued life is and the respect our officers deserve for upholding the ideal that a few should uphold the laws for many.
What the past 12 weeks in the CPA class have meant to me is seeing the danger our officers face and the heroism in them to still do it, many of them liking what they do. They take precautions (and in the case of SWAT, they usually opt for the “more firepower, better skills and bigger sticks” side of defense) yet, something like the events surrounding Off Will’s death show how quickly things can change, and how equally human our men in blue are. We take that for granted.
What can you do?
Join the 100 Club today (the100club.org) to give some of your blessing back to the men and women that serve us all (as I have). And, attend a CPA class – you will see what I now see – regular guys and ladies that made a sacrifice to their sense of safety to serve us.
A sad day in Houston doesn’t have to remain that way if one of you decides to serve those that serve everyone. Our police department cannot be successful without us – the active citizenry.