“Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior.” – Karl von Clausewitz
I am now pushing 4 decades in this honorable and noble profession. From my earliest training, I was taught the warrior mentality. I have been told that we don’t want warriors anymore. This reminds me of the words of Lt. Col. Dave Grossman when he talks of how the sheep don’t like to be reminded of the evil in the world and thus dislike the presence of the sheep dog, until evil comes and then they are ALL thankful for his immediate presence. Those that oppose the warrior image are the same, a little soft on the inside, even if they bear the title of chief, politician, mom or social justice warrior but they have not walked in my shoes.
I am a warrior and I have been in the trenches when the streets are bloody with thug gunfire. I have battled the 300-pound man who left me bruised. I have chased the rapist down and fought in the backyard, in the dark without my fellow warriors knowing where I was. I have been stabbed, shot and broken for you. I come to bring calm where chaos existed. I have interviewed the child who was molested, their innocence stolen, their soul wounded because someone had to do it. I have walked in the valley in the night, day and those holidays you take for granted. I have donned the heavy ballistic equipment necessary to pursue the monster who killed your neighbors or family and then refused to surrender, the peace of your neighborhood disrupted. I have knocked on the door of the murder victim’s mom, transported you to the hospital to see your child one last time and taken the pictures necessary to pursue justice for those who have come to meet evil face to face.
I was there, in Dallas when they shot my brothers and sisters of the thin blue line who were trying to keep you safe. Some of you were protesting but when the bullets started flying, I stood up as a barrier for you. I was there at Sandy Hook trying to make sense of an unimaginable situation. I comforted those I could, and I wept when you weren’t looking. I am in your schools daily, keeping evil at bay so you can hug your kids at night.
Yes, I am your Warrior here to battle where you are not equipped emotionally or physically. I dedicate my life to you, and I dedicate my time to run, lift weights, practice martial arts, shoot, study human behavior and prepare to keep you safe. I know that I have the support of most of those who I serve, and it is a great honor. See I take the police motto, “To Serve and Protect” as an oath. I am the embodiment of the John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Yes, I consider you my friends and I and my family pay a great price to be a servant to you. As a Warrior servant, I don’t tolerate bullies whether in uniform or not. My job is not to hurt those I serve but to protect. My honor and my reputation are always on the line. Those who dishonor this path are not considered warriors by me.
So please don’t be misled by those cowards who want a guardian. I have always considered myself a Warrior and guarding you is just a part of what I do. I also do violence on your behalf protecting the weak from the evil. Evil vs. Good is a war and it takes a warrior to look evil in the eye, be prepared to fight for you and even to die for you. Those who attack a warrior are cowards or evil. Neither is acceptable in my worldview.
I am here as a servant, my name is Warrior.
Editor Note: Check out Chief Barfield’s “Creating Courage” Series.
Creating Courage in the Thin Blue Line: The Desire to be Liked
Creating Courage in the Thin Blue Line: Principles Higher Than You
Creating Courage in the Thin Blue Line: Know Yourself
