I loved this story a young man shared about his dad, who was a cop for 30 years and loved his job. One night his dad got a call about some teenagers vandalizing a park. Dispatch let him know that it was a lady that called in regularly thinking she was the neighbourhood watch. So he shut off all the lights, and after a couple of minutes of watching, realized it was a group of young adults playing hide and seek.
He got out of the car and crept up behind a group that was hiding behind some trees, causing one guy to freak out. But his dad whispered, “Dude, shut up or the other team will find us!”
The guys cracked up cause now they realized a cop had joined in their game. His dad ended up playing hide and seek with the group for the next hour.
But the son said the best part was about six months later when his dad was working and dropped by his place for a burger when his son was having friends over for a barbecue. A guy at the party said, “Holy —-! Your dad is a cop! He played hide and seek with us!”
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It sounds like that officer enjoyed his game of hide and seek. However, our RCMP undertake many difficult tasks, like informing family members of a tragic death, after attending the scene of an accident. Many times their lives are in danger, yet they receive very little appreciation from the general public.
An officer, who dealt with hostage taking, shared his experience of being diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He said it was triggered when a friend took his own life, and he felt guilty for not seeing the warning signals. Sleeplessness, nightmares, self-medicating with alcohol, and relational issues with his wife forced him to seek help.
“I was in a fog. Somebody guided me along and I got better. I’m not perfect, but I’m better than I was two years ago.”
There are 658,000 war vets in Canada, and many feel alone and isolated. The director of Canadian Veterans Advocacy encourages Canadians to “Go up to them. Say thank you for your service.”
There are several generations that have not been exposed to war, so may not fully appreciate the contributions veterans make to our country. A Legion spokes person said, “Freedom isn’t free. Honouring veterans is our duty. There is only one veteran in Canada, whether they are 85 years old or 22 years old.”
The current state of Veterans Affairs has caused soldiers to rely on the charity and good will of the Canadian Legion and other similar organizations that offer support to veterans. There are those who believe the Canadian Forces is having a hard time retaining and recruiting troops because of budget cuts, the state of the equipment, and the knowledge that if you are injured on the job you will not be properly taken care of by Veterans Affairs. This appears to be an on-going problem, regardless of the governing party. It’s a Canadian issue.
Meanwhile, over 40,000 firefighters have been on the ground in B.C. A firefighter on the ground said, “It’s rewarding to work in a job that has you put your efforts toward something that is above yourself. The job makes us become comfortable with the uncomfortable.”
In communities such as Cochrane, Alta., a landscaper said he felt like he was “smoking all day” while he worked. How much worse is it for the firefighters?
At a recent RCMP National Memorial Service in Regina, the RCMP honoured its fallen members. How much more vital is it that Canadians honour those in uniform who are very much alive today and are looking after us, ensuring our safety and our freedom.
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