Dear Officer,

Day in and day out, you don that gun and shield to keep us all safe. But now it’s our turn to protect you.

I know these are difficult, trying times.

But know this – decent, hardworking Americans have your backs. We hope you know that despite the garbage you see on social media, the overwhelming amount of Americans support you quietly.  I wish more would step up and be more vocal. Here at RISE, know that we support you loud and proud.

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve read more hateful, anti-police sentiments on the news than I care to in a lifetime. Instinctively, my family thought of my older brother, who serves as an officer in the New York City Police Department. We also thought about his friends, his brothers, and sisters in blue who had become an extended part of our family. Those friends of his who I can say I’ve had the distinct pleasure of meeting were some of the goofiest, compassionate, philosophical, and selfless people I’ve come across. They are far from the so-called racist, callous officers the liberal media likes to portray and vilify. Like my brother, they took the oath to become the change they wanted to see and serve their city with honor.

This message is for you.

I want you to realize that you have not come this far, to only come this far. You have spent so much time, heart, and hard work in a profession so demanding and very unforgiving. In short – thank you!

We know the work you do is difficult. You head out to work every day, not knowing what you will face. Unsure what the risk might be. What problem, no matter how big or small, you are asked to solve. Or how often your good deeds go unnoticed. Well, we noticed. And we appreciate you. Your good work mattered, and our society has bettered from you.

I wish politicians would stop using you as expendable, political pawns. That when they say they stand behind you, they start covering your ass and theirs instead of throwing you under a bus at the first sign of trouble. I wish that those elected to represent us do so by upholding law and order. That means giving you guys the tools you need to do your job, and then backing you up when it comes to our judiciary system. Putting the bad guys behind bars and actually keeping them there, not releasing them to make some grand statement against laws they don’t like or a President they don’t agree with. I can see how frustrating all that can be.

Keep the faith.

Remember why you took that oath and accepted your appointment. Remember the obstacles you’ve faced to get on the job, and the pride you felt when you made that day happen. All the big aspirations you’ve had, all the plans and ways you wanted to improve the world- that is still possible. Stay the course, don’t let the boos coming from the cheap seats discourage your admirable commitment to service.

The legacies of your work deserve more than the vilification, hypocrisy, and intransigence we see from an obnoxiously vocal fringe group.

Continue to be your brothers’ keeper and sign out home safe.

 

Faithfully Yours,

Daniel Liu & The RISE Family