EDITORIAL: Cops choose service over their own safety

May 15—A 1973 nonfiction book, "The Onion Field," by Joseph Wambaugh, depicted two young California policemen who are kidnapped and brutalized by two robbers. Taken to a deserted field on the outskirts of Los Angeles, one of the officers is executed and the other is left with life-long survivor's guilt and its terrible aftermath. The book is a troubling look at the harsh realities of wearing a badge.

Only a few careers ask for the ultimate sacrifice — firemen, police officers and our military. Recent events have led to an undeserved distrust of law enforcement and a shortsighted indictment of all officers as being racist and uncaring. Nationally there has been a call to "defund the police."

At a time when mass shootings dominate the news, officers are asked to do more than ever. They are expected to bravely hurry toward gunfire and mayhem, with no thought for their own welfare.

Scenes like the recent shooting at a mall outside Dallas demand a police response. And law enforcement is criticized when they don't "save lives" in a swift manner. After a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where law enforcement took 37 minutes of planning and preparation before entering the elementary school, there was sharp criticism and a major investigation.

In the Colorado Legislature we have seen multiple moves to lessen punishment for criminals and one law passed in 2020 — the police accountability bill — makes officers personally liable if they are sued for excessive force and lose.

Cops are seldom celebrated for the challenging duties they are asked to perform. The statistics show what a dangerous job keeping the peace can be. In 2022, 224 officers were killed across the nation. Texas has the dubious distinction of the most police officer deaths, with 33 officers lost in 2022. Families of law enforcement face possible tragedy every day — never knowing when or if their loved one will come home from work. The loss of an officer has a profound impact on not just his immediate family but his extended community.

Despite a slight decrease in officers killed in the line of duty nationally, our state still continues to lose those who serve. Recently, Colorado lost Fountain police officer Julian Becerra, 35, after he was killed pursuing a carjacking suspect. A 27-year-old police officer was killed in September, just outside Denver, responding to a large disturbance — Arvada police officer Dillon Michael Vakoff. Law enforcement responded to a shooting call in Security-Widefield last August, where they faced an ambush. SWAT operator Andrew Peery, 39, was killed during the incident. Boulder police officer Eric Talley, was killed responding to the mass shooting at the Table Mesa King Soopers. These are just a few recent examples of officers who have laid down their lives for their communities.

In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week.

Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. It is a solemn recognition of those who choose service over their own safety. So, take a moment to remember those whose job asks for unbelievable bravery and commitment.