The first time I heard cops referred to as “sheepdogs” was at an anti-terrorism seminar.Â
The speaker was Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, U.S. Army (Ret.) author of Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill: A Call to Action Against TV, Movie and Video Game Violence and On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society.Â
Grossman likened a sheepdog minding its flock to police officers patrolling the streets. Col. Grossman challenged the police officers assembled in the room to become sheepdogs because he said the troops overseas were depending on us to keep their families safe at home.
Sheepdogs - like this a 2-year-old Blue Merle Shetland sheepdog - have been compared to cops because of their ability to herd and protect.
The Associated Press
Grossman explained a sheepdog is constantly nipping at the heels and rear ends of sheep. The sheepdog does this to shepherd the flock in a tight group to keep them safe from wolves.Â
The sheep perceive the sheepdog as a bully and literally a pain in the butt. The sheep only appreciate the sheepdog when the wolf attacks. In that instant, that unwanted canine shepherd becomes the protector. The sheepdog will give its life to defend the flock of sheep.
On a normal day, citizens shouldn't have to think about the police. They should feel safe in their homes and as they freely move about in their community. When a police officer must correct a citizen, it is usually in the form of a traffic ticket or a verbal admonishment to stay up on the curb while waiting for traffic at The Big House.Â
These are both relatively minor enforcement actions. But when most think of the police, their mind conjures up traffic tickets, parking tickets, speed traps and doughnuts. (For the record, it gives police officers no great joy writing tickets, unless you are a jerk to them. It is just a necessary part of the job to safely control traffic).
Consider your local police when you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year. The “sheepdogs” in blue or brown uniforms are only a phone call away, no matter which “wolves” come calling.Â
Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and the operators that dispatch them are there to protect us 24/7, 365 days a year - no matter what the weather or catastrophic circumstances.Â
If there is an emergency, they have sworn an oath to protect and defend. That may include sacrificing their lives for the protection of our human flock.
On Thanksgiving Day give the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protect us, both here and in all corners of the globe, a positive thought, prayer or simple thanks.Â
To all the "sheepdogs,"Â THANK YOU—STAY WARM, DRY, HAPPY AND SAFE.Â
SEMPER COP.
Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com.
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