Page 7 - Sentinel Volume 33 Issue 1 2017_Neat

CHAPLAIN’S
CORNER

Threads of Honor
Fr. Paul T. Clifford
One thing I heard early on in Ron Tarentino’s, Kevin Ambrose’s and BADGE 3718 SAN JOSE POLICE
police chaplaincy was the importance Gregg Maloney’s.) These were all “GO BIG OR GO HOME”
of going to Washington DC for Police beautiful, some poignant, funny, somber, MICHAEL JOHNSON
Week. One of the best advocates of this or any mixture thereof: (From California, EOW 3/24/15. I met
belief is Lt. Tony Archinski, Ret. of Michael’s family and co-workers. He
Dracut PD. He happened to be in DC DAVID MOORE 132 was shot while responding to a male,
as a young man at the time of the Vigil “WALKING A BEAT IN HEAVEN” possibly suicidal, at an apartment
one year and went, more or less out of (Honoring Ofc. Moore of the complex)
curiosity. Moved by the experience he Indianapolis Metropolitan PD in Indiana.
came home and advocated within the EOW 1/26/11—Shot (x4) while making I’ve never been to Morgan
union structure over a period of time a traffic stop) County, Tennessee, but I’ll feel safe
that their Local should sponsor officers if I do go there because of you and
on their job going to DC each year. It Front: A representation of the Thin Blue the officers there and across this great
was felt that the Police Week experience Line familiar to us all country who stand up each day to serve
would at least be life-enhancing if not Back: TO SOME THIS IS A THIN and protect—nothing more, nothing less.
life-changing for every officer. I concur. BLUE LINE, TO OTHERS IT IS A I’m so happy we didn’t have to make a
My first Police Week was May of 2001 FAMILY CREST T-shirt to honor Ofc. Don Delaney of my
and I’ve been attending pretty much PD here in Braintree this past Spring,
every year since. MARC ANTHONY DiNARDO---- but it was close. At a recent town event
A primary thing one takes IRISH TO THE BONE! to honor him and his colleagues who
away from Police Week—especially (Detective of the Jersey City, NJ Police took and returned fire on a harrowing
after attending more than one—is the EOW 7/21/09—Shot during attempted call, they were all lauded as heroes,
universality of the police experience. arrest of armed robbery suspects) appropriately enough. I’m guessing
Large city, small town, way down in that they, like you, would chafe at the
Dixie, or here or north even of us, on Front: KURT B. WYMAN term “hero.” I do think they and you are
either coast, or any part of the heartland Back: KBW arched over the Marine warriors, however—in many senses of
in between, it is ONE thin blue line. Corps emblem and the badge of the the word. Thank you, on behalf of many,
A simple but effective way of Oneida County Sheriffs (NY), and the for all you do.
giving honor to fallen officers that has dates 1987-2011 (EOW 6/7/11—Shot
developed in later years is T-shirts. The during standoff resulting from domestic An enlarged version of the
technology has developed such that in disturbance) Morgan County Sheriffs’ Badge is
addition to being a quick and efficient represented with this saying imprinted
way to produce a symbol of group KERRIE OROZCO / OPD #1969 / over it:
unity and honor (which T-shirts have Delta 17 / EOW 5/20/15
always been) they’re now artful-even HEROES LIVE FOREVER / KERRIE THE DEVIL WHISPERS: “You can’t
potentially inspiring at the same time. SUE—OMAHA withstand the storm.”
The visitor to the Memorial can now see (From Omaha, NE—Officer of the Gang THE WARRIOR REPLIES: “I AM the
many family members or colleagues of Suppression Unit, shot serving warrant storm.”
officers wearing or even placing a shirt to on violent suspect—hours before
honor their fallen hero. A few examples beginning maternity leave)
follow that caught my eye for one reason In His service and yours,
or another. I later went and looked up Front: I AM THE SHEEPDOG Fr. Paul Clifford—MPA Chaplain
their unique stories. That’s where the Back: I HUNT THE EVIL YOU pcliff856@gmail.com
inspiration comes from, not the shirts. PRETEND DOESN’T EXIST.
(From Mass. I call immediately to mind

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MASSACHUSETTS POLICE ASSOCIATION