Ode to the Patrol Officer

ROCKWALL, TX (Jan. 21, 2015) Chiefs and Sheriffs may be in the limelight, on the news and in the papers, but the beat cops – the patrolmen – are the backbone of modern law enforcement, and they are the protector of our cities, counties and schools.

Having courage to put on that uniform and climb in that patrol car day in and day, rain or shine, day or night for 20 years is a noble act.

Every day, every call could be their last. Patrol officers are the first responders to horrific car crashes, school shootings, domestic assaults and so on. They are the ones to get complaints. Why? Because they are the one having to deal with all the problems on the street.

They are the ones that may get shot at and placed under a microscope for shooting someone in order to save their own lives or the lives of innocent victims. They are the ones that stand out in the pouring rain directing traffic, or get hurt in a fight with a violent suspect robbing the 7-11, and on and on.

The beat cop is the backbone of safeguarding our community, and the backbone of every law enforcement agency, and the officers and deputies who do it for a lifetime hold more knowledge about crime, bad guys, and what’s going on in our city and county than anyone sitting’ in an office, I promise you.

They are the ones that respond to a lost child, a missing elderly grandparent; and they are the ones you will see if you ever have to call 911.

Patrol officers are the ones that are scrutinized by the general public more than anyone, and the stress of being accused of something when all they are doing is trying to protect our community can take an enormous toll on their lives. The people that scrutinize the police are usually not standing in line to grab a uniform and gun belt and do the job themselves.

So the next time you have the opportunity to talk to that patrolman you may know, the one you may see every day patrolling your neighborhood or answering an alarm call at your house, or perhaps the one in your Sunday school class that has worked all night, look at him in a whole new light.

Don’t think of him as just someone who issues speeding tickets — think of him as one of the few in our community that actually had the guts to protect our streets his entire life, and live to tell about it.

Shake his or her hand and tell them thank you. Trust me; they will appreciate it more than you know.

Those officers are our community heroes.

By Lt. Andrew G. Hawkes, a 24-year police veteran. After graduating from Rockwall High School in 1989, he began his career in Rockwall law enforcement and is currently Lieutenant of Community Services for the Collin County Sheriff’s office. Lt. Hawkes has worked in patrol, K9, investigations, narcotics and highway interdiction.

An author and instructor, he holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Dallas Baptist University and is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. He is pursuing a Master’s degree in Justice Leadership and Administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. He has earned state and local awards, including the Medal of Valor.

He lives in Rockwall with his wife Tammy, and is a member of the Rockwall Lion’s Club and Lake Pointe Church.