A Local Shooting Shines a New Light on the Lives of Police Officers

A Local Shooting Shines a New Light on the Lives of Police Officers

Ali Nesbitt

On Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016, Harford County faced the tragic loss of two deputies at Box Hill Boulevard in Abingdon.

When a tragedy like this strikes so close to home, it reminds each and every one of us that danger is present everywhere. The cops of Harford County have been doing an amazing job making us safe. Police officers are under appreciated for all that they do as they are the unsung heroes of our communities.

As the daughter of a police officer, it is easy to forget that when I say goodbye in the morning or at night, my father might not be coming home. He may lose his life on the line of duty and I may never have another conversation with him again. Numerous times I have left without saying goodbye, because it’s an easy thing to overlook and forget. There are days where my father will leave at 6 a.m. and won’t return until the next day, sleep for an hour, then leave again.

Police officers’ duty is to dedicate their lives to the job, even when they are off the clock, they are still on the clock. When an emergency arises, police officers are expected to be there 24/7.

Mina Georgiadis, a student at Bel Air High School whose father and brother work in Harford County stated, “When I was informed about the deputy’s death, I was in complete shock. That could have been my father or my brother. I could not believe it. No one deserves a death in which their life is taken in the hands of another due to their occupation. Police officers are the ‘heroes that step up when everyone else backs down’ and that’s what makes cops so brave. I see my father’s bravery and selflessness when he leaves my family everyday not knowing if he will return.”

The families of police officers watch their loved ones leave day in and day out, as soon as the news says “officer down,” immediately their lives are stricken with fright. In that moment, their lives could be forever changed. Despite the disrespect that these heroes face, they continue to go back to work. My father faces a type of disrespect that would make any human want to quit their job, even when his job is just to ask questions to figure out what happened and why. He is spit on, and cussed at. I could not imagine trying to stay calm while someone treated me that way. Despite all of this, he continues to return to work and keep communities safe.

Mina spoke for a lot of us when she stated, “I want to thank all cops who put others’ lives before theirs every day to protect the people. The shooting that occurred highlights the strength police have that possessed them to push their emotions back to unite as a brotherhood and protect one another. Police officers save us from danger, yet no one saves them. They walk around with targets on their backs every day, but continue to keep pushing on. For Patrick Daily and Mark Logsdon: rest easy, 1042.”

Police families come together during times like this. They truly are brothers, and a loss in the community is a loss in a big family. As our car stood still on 95 on my way home from my first scrimmage of the season, we watched as the police cars drove by. My mom, Mina, and myself stood watching. We couldn’t help but cry and wave as my father drove past. I will never forget that moment. The unity of the police force and the memory of the fallen heroes will forever live on. They will not be forgotten. If you would like to donate money to the Harford County Deputy Sheriffs Benevolent Fund, go to http://www.hcdsu.org/benevolent-fund.