President John F. Kennedy and Congress created Peace Officers Memorial Day - it's May 15 -and Police Week in 1962 to honor and remember law enforcement officers killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. 

Police Week coincides with the week that May 15 falls in each year. Police officers are the most visible representatives of our government. Policing in the United States in the 21st century is not an easy proposition. Consider for a moment what the badge a police officer wears means.

The badge is an emblem of public trust. The man or woman who wears it or carries it finds that at times it can be a tremendous burden. Most badges in the state of Michigan have the state seal with the word “Tuebor,” meaning “I will defend.” 

That means the person wearing the badge will defend and protect you, even though you are probably a stranger, up to the point of giving his or her life for your safety. In Michigan, 542 officers have given their lives over the years to honor their promise to defend us. In Washtenaw County, 11 officers have died in the line of duty.

The badge means no matter how scared or uncomfortable the person wearing it is, he or she can not back down. They may move for a better tactical position, they may call for back-up or help, but they can't just walk away from the problem they face. If the person with the badge just walked away and gave up, chaos would follow.

The badge and uniform bring instant judgment by the public. The man or woman is always in the public’s eye and performing his or her duties with an audience. The decisions made in an eighth of a second to shot/don’t shoot will be analyzed, studied, and debated for months before those who will judge the officer’s action will ever commit to a decision.   

Consider the awesome trust and power that badge gives. In a country that values the civil liberties and the freedom of its citizens, that badge gives the wearer the right to be judge, jury and executioner if an emergency dictates. The officer/deputy/trooper/agent who wears that badge is given more power than a Supreme Court justice and must make life and death decisions in an instant. That they make those decisions day-in and day-out 24/7, 365 days a year - and the fact that only an infinitesimally small number of those decisions are ever questioned is truly amazing.

Alas, the amazing cognitive decision-making skills of the peace officer are balanced by the toll those decisions take on the police officer’s body. Stress, working all hours, seeing things normal people should not have to, long hours of inactivity followed by explosive sudden exertion, lousy diets and poor stress-coping mechanisms wreak havoc on an officer’s health.

Not surprisingly, the average life expectancy of a police officer (depending on which study one examines—I opt for the more optimistic) is only 56-66 years. The public the officer serves will live an average 74.5 years. That is the unfortunate reason peace officers can retire at a younger age than the general public.

For those in the profession, you all have my respect, admiration and undying loyalty. Yours is a most honorable profession. You will never be wealthy, but you will be rich in the coin of the soul. You may never feel appreciated and often feel unfairly criticized, but the silent majority who sleep peacefully under your watchful eye appreciate your toils in the name of justice. Without your work our free society could not exist.

To my brothers and sisters who have been killed or seriously injured, you will always be in our thoughts and prayers. The lessons we have learned from you have saved lives and made our profession safer.

To the family and friends who have lost a loved one in this profession, please know that the peace officer you lost made a difference. He or she died honorably trying to make a positive difference in our society. Their heroic example continues to inspire future generations of peace officers.

To the public, please take a moment to appreciate those men and women who protect you. While politicians play their shell games with funding, please know the cops on the street will continue be there when you call - no matter what the emergency. Remember, sometimes your smile and a kind word can inspire those who carry a badge more than medals, commendations or gold.

Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors.

Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.