Protecting the men and women who protect us should never be about party politics—it should be about doing what’s right.

Police officers are the backbone of safety in our communities, and they deserve more than empty words or political lip service. They deserve support, respect, and political protection.

And yet it seems that no political party has adequately confronted the needs of police officers, despite their essential role in ensuring community safety.

Our men and women in blue carry loaded weapons, make life and death decisions on a second’s notice, and yet they are unappreciated, underpaid, undervalued, disrespected, and unprotected.

Politicians use support or non-support of the police as a weapon or a sound bite, but at the end of the day, the men and women in blue are victims of our ineffective political system, just like the rest of us.

Many politicians—Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—claim they have the backs of the men and women in blue, but it’s mostly lip service. Their number one goal has little to do with the men and women in blue.

Politicians have one goal, and that’s to get elected. It’s shameful, but it’s reality, which is why we, the people, need to step up and support our men and women in blue and demand more from our politicians.

I recently discovered that many patrol cars have no air conditioning. Imagine wearing an LED vest in 98-degree heat with no air conditioning? As a result, these officers come home with heat rash from head to toe.

And this might seem like a minor point, but many police departments are still working on digitizing all their forms and procedures, so typewriters remain in use.

Having a typewriter available as a system’s backup makes some sense, but not as part of the regular course of police business.

During COVID, while everyone else was quarantining if exposed, NYPD officers were only allowed to take off if they tested positive—even after working side by side with officers who did test positive, and regardless of whether they had a family member at home who was high risk or elderly. As a result, many police households suffered from COVID repeatedly.

Every day, the men and women in blue face the possibility of armed individuals, potential ambushes, exposure to contaminants and hazardous equipment, and the danger of interacting with individuals experiencing severe mental health episodes or substance abuse.

Police officers across the country showed up every single day during the COVID-19 pandemic, while most people were told to stay home and stay safe. They didn’t get hazard pay. They didn’t get a thank you. Instead, they often got vilified.

These officers walked into homes not knowing if someone was contagious at best or armed at worst. They handled riots, unrest, and crime spikes while wearing makeshift PPE and being told they didn’t qualify for time off unless they were actively sick, even when their police partners tested positive.

The situation regarding sick leave during the COVID-19 pandemic also highlights the challenges faced by officers.

According to the New York City Independent Budget Office, regulations surrounding quarantine and sick leave during the pandemic created complexities for public employees. Reports from the time indicate that, in many cases, officers who had been exposed but were asymptomatic were still required to report for duty while awaiting testing or official quarantine orders. This situation was particularly challenging in the early stages of the pandemic when testing and protocols were evolving.

Additionally, police officer suicide rates are sadly significantly higher than the national average, highlighting the severity of the mental health crisis within the profession.

Rising crime statistics underscore the importance of looking beyond political rhetoric and acknowledging the daily challenges and dangers faced by law enforcement officers.

Here are just a few examples of what our police officers have to contend with:

Our men and women in blue investigate sex crimes and handle cases involving child abuse, rape, sexual assault, and other related offenses. They also work closely with social services to support victims of these crimes.

Additionally, they provide investigative support, training, and resources to myriad other agencies and manage the AMBER Alert system for child abductions, regardless of race, sexuality, gender, ethnicity, or immigration status.

Our police investigate crimes that require sensitive handling, such as those involving children, the elderly, or people with disabilities. They frequently receive specialized training in forensic interviewing, crisis intervention, and victim advocacy.

Various states and cities have Hate Crimes Task Forces that work to prevent, investigate, and monitor Hate Crimes and violations of Human Rights Law. Our brave men and women in blue coordinate and collaborate with many law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking, including child sex trafficking.

According to the United States Department of Justice, human trafficking is the second-largest international criminal industry, second only to the drug trade.

Many police officers focus on cases involving vulnerable or high-risk victims and investigate all types of sexual offenses, including dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking on college campuses, to name a few.

Crime rates in the United States have been exponentially increasing in recent years, and our law enforcement officers are on the front lines of this battle.

Communities throughout the nation are inundated with violent robberies, assaults, murders, and fentanyl overdoses, while an open southern border is only exacerbating this crisis.

Despite these risks and sacrifices, police officers often receive criticism rather than appreciation, with no hazard pay or formal acknowledgement for their efforts during this unprecedented time.

Police officers across the country, who carry loaded weapons and who are entrusted with making critical decisions, deserve consistent support, respect, and tangible improvements in their working conditions, regardless of political affiliations.

It has never been more important to recognize the remarkable courage of our men and women in blue who are on the front lines, standing between lawlessness and order on our streets.

We must show our law enforcement officers our appreciation, respect, and unwavering support, while also recognizing the sacrifices they make every day to ensure our communities are safe.

Our police officers put their lives on the line with courage and determination every time they don their uniforms. Despite the uncertainty that accompanies each shift, they remain committed to their duty of safeguarding us, and they wear their badges with pride.

For far too long, “defund the police” movements and anti-police legislation have resulted in skyrocketing crime across the country and against our brave law enforcement.

In 2023, the number of officers shot in the line of duty was up 52% from 2020. And 2021 was the deadliest year in two decades for our law enforcement officers.

While crime rates are skyrocketing in many communities, some groups are making it more challenging for our officers to do their jobs, and their rhetoric and hate-mongering are resulting in horrible repercussions.

Our communities depend upon law and order. Without it, none of us are safe.