This body cam footage is so telling...we rarely see the emotion officers feel on calls (especially when kids are involved).  They operate in stressful situations and are working for the best solutions possible for everyone.  

This day they received a call from a frantic mom whose 8 year old daughter had just been kidnapped while they were on a walk in their neighborhood.  The manhunt started immediately and continued for hours.  Dispatchers combed through countless tips trying to determine which needed to be followed up on.  Officers responded to call after call including an extended stay hotel where the suspect was reported to be.  Unfortunately they didn't find the girl...until hours later when there was another tip to that same hotel.  This time they were able to get the driver's license of the man who'd rented room 333...and it matched the description the mom gave of the kidnapper.  

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Sometimes it is so easy for us to just think of police officers as the uniform we typically see-as an officer who shows up when called and does what needs to be done.  We don't see the people they are under the uniform.  We don't see the struggles they have dealing with what they see and go through.  We don't feel the feelings of helplessness on some calls or the elation of in this case finding the girl safe, arresting the kidnapper, and returning her to her family.  

We have to start seeing our police officers as people first who are trained and willing to do a difficult job.  What they see and do on the job doesn't go away after they are off shift.  They are spouses and parents.  You or I typically can't imagine the horrible things we hear about on the news, but they are responding to them and dealing with them.  The terrible cases involving kids? They are there for those.  The awful things people do to each other? They are in the middle of that.  They are on life and death calls regularly.  Those calls stay with them for the rest of their lives.  

Let's do our part to let them know we see them and we appreciate them and we will stand with them.  As we increase our support as a community and civilians the pressures don't go away and the struggles don't go away, but they realize they don't have to carry it alone...and that is huge.  Seeing someone wearing a "Thin Blue Line" tee is a strong symbol - same with a Blue Line decal.  Receiving a Giveback shirt? Now they know every time they wear it that they aren't alone.  They know that SRVS gear is a symbol of support and respect for all those serving so every time they see someone wearing SRVS gear it is a reminder.

In our society there are so many loud opponents, but this visible symbol shares an even stronger message without you even saying a word.