Police Week in Wash DC is held in May of every year where law enforcement officers from around the world come to honor our fallen officers. Sgt Cognac sent this to us as he took a few minutes to reflect on his experiences today. Couldn't have said it any better.

I just got back from the Police Memorial where I was proud to watch 1800 Police Officers complete the unity ride. There were families and children there, brother and sister cops, all to cheer on the arriving officers. I stood in front of the memorial wall, not too far from the name of my friends and colleagues Andrew Garton (2012) and Leonard Luna (2014) who lost their lives while on duty.

I watched as the small children and mother of a fallen Newark Police Officer held up a sign that said “My Daddy’s life mattered”…Tears began to stream down my face as the riders came in, New York, New Jersey, Georgia….officers from every state rode because to them, it mattered.

I greeted the only officer from my area as he arrived, Raul Alarcon from the Gardena Police Dept. He had to take vacation days and raise the money himself to participate in this….alone. He rode for 3 days, not alone, but surrounded by brothers and sisters from all over the world. All of those riding had worn the uniform and the badge, and have risked everything at times to help those they do not know and those that may even hate them.

The one thing I saw today was pride….pride in being a police officer, pride in serving community , pride in knowing that your brothers and sisters have your back when you go into that dark room, or try to breath life into that baby. They understand what it’s like to do your job….and they understand that tomorrow when they go to work…they might not come home.

I am proud to have been a cop for the last 23 years….I felt that pride today, much more than other days.

Chris Cognac
Law Enforcement Fellow
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
U.S. Department of Justice