9-1-1 in the News!

National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

01/07/2020

After a tumultuous year earlier that marked an officer-involved shooting that turned into a major unrest event in Ferguson, MO, 2015 became the first year of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. With a push led by Concerns of Police Survivors, or C.O.P.S., multiple non-profit organizations and police support groups banded together to make a point of show gratitude for the service and sacrifice made every day by law enforcement officers in the U.S. More importantly, however, the day is intended for regular citizens to be involved, to meet their law enforcement officers in their community, and have an opportunity to show gratitude for the officers’ civic service.

A primary second focus of the Day is to counter the negative perspectives, media and opinion of police officers that was being avalanched through multiple channels, developing a widespread discontent with law enforcement. While there are 900,000 law enforcement personnel across the nation, that is a small number compared to the millions of citizens needing to be protected. C.O.P.S. intended for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day to change the script and story line to a more positive tone for police officers and how they are viewed nationally and locally.  

Get Involved

Citizens and neighbors can engage during the National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in a number of ways, and they don’t have to be official participation. Folks can simply show support by wearing blue clothing on the big Day, showing a blue stripe flag sticker, sending a support correspondence or thank you card to a local police office, or simply posting a positive law enforcement story or note on social media. The goal and point is the engage in positive support of police officers nationwide in big and small ways all at the same time. In some communities kids in classes will be asked to write appreciation letters to their local police officers, and in others folks may just take a moment out of the day to talk with an officer and say thank you for their work. Every bit counts and is heart-felt by police officers nationwide.

What You Can Do

The next annual celebration of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day will be on January 9, 2020. Everyone should do their part, in private or public, as a group or individually, to show a bit of gratitude for the hard work of police officers and law enforcement in their communities. Police officers and similar more than ever need to know their community is behind them, not against them. Again, there are plenty of ways to signal your gratitude:

  • Update your social media with a simple support post or image for your icon supporting law enforcement.
  • Wear blue clothing on January 9.
  • Send thank you correspondence.
  • Make a phone call to the local police office and just let them know you care and support them.
  • Tell others about how a police officer helped you in the past.
  • Teach kids not to be afraid of the police but to appreciate their presence.
  • Display your support of police with blue light logo or blue line flag.
  • Organize an appreciation event with local police.
  • Post a goodwill ad for your business showing gratitude for your law enforcement’s work in your community.

And if nothing else, if you happen to see a police officer on January 9, 2020, just make a point to say thank you for his or her service to you and everyone else.

The Montgomery County Emergency Communication District (MCECD) support our local law enforcement and works with them daily by providing the administration of the communications and technology infrastructure of the 9-1-1 system within Montgomery County, Texas. The administrative office of MCECD is located in Conroe, Texas. To find out more, go on the Internet and find our website at www.mc911.org.