Page 36 - August 2016 Newsletter

rained but the even the kids and the elderly stayed out all day. I felt an intense gratitude that they would make the effort to stand there in the rain.”
They had their Six
July proved to be one of those times when showing the love for cops was OK, cool in fact, or the popular position to take. It might have been the most substantive show of support for law enforcement since Sept. 11, 2001.
If only it were this way more often. But in addition to the adulation from those lining the streets of Dallas and Baton Rouge, there were some other signs.
Delgado related that props popped up at the most un- expected times during the drive to Dallas. She said that when they stopped for the night at hotels on the way down, they would wake up to find their cars adorned with Post-It notes reading, “Thank You for Being Here,” “We’ve Got Your Six” or “We Back the Blue.” When they stopped for gas, people would honk and ask if they were heading to Dallas.
“It’s something I never experienced in 20-something years on the job,” Delgado confided.
And here’s something else cops have not experienced in a long time: When Department contingent made a pit stop to get lunch one day at a Chick-fil-A, the cars pulled up to the window to find that folks in a car in front of them had paid their bill and a group of employees were waiting, cheering for them.
A bit closer to home, The Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch staged a show of support on July 18 by lighting lamp posts at houses with blue lightbulbs and tying blue ribbons to trees. The company that provided the lights charged $1 apiece. But residents were dropping far more than a buck in the bucket, and that fueled donations that were made to the Dallas and Baton Rouge Police Associ- ations.
“It’s kind of a shame that this stuff gets awakened af- ter a tragedy like this,” reasoned Chicago Police Chaplain Bob Montelongo. “But it is a sight to see. Every officer who sees a sign from somebody that says, ‘We support you,’ knows that means a lot. Even the most bitter cop will look at that and feel good.”
Blue lines matter
Nobody could blame officers anywhere for feeling bit- ter or angry after witnessing the attacks on their own in July. Certainly many felt what Brennan experienced on his trip to Dallas. After being at the funerals for two of your brothers who were essentially assassinated, there has to be a certain skepticism that bubbles up about do- ing the job.
“With the times we’re in in Chicago right now and na- tionwide for all law enforcement, it’s hard to say who is really on our side and who isn’t,” Brennan offered. “But seeing everybody come together like they did, I felt more pride than I ever have as a law enforcement officer.”
Speaking on behalf of FOP members, FOP National President Chuck Canterbury issued a statement express- ing gratitude to the President for his forceful condemna- tion of the attacks. And he expressed what most officers
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