05/22/2024
On this solemn anniversary, we struggle to find the right words to honor those we have lost and to support those left behind. This task is especially difficult when the lives lost belong to individuals who risk everything daily to protect others, only to be taken from us due to the failures of the very system they serve.
We have allowed the loudest voices, often backed by the least amount of factual evidence, to undermine the significance of the policing profession. Media and social media dictate what should matter, influencing public perception. This has led even the most steadfast among us to question whether our efforts were in vain and if we were part of the problem.
To Rachel Conley's children, the answer is clear: the police are not the problem. Deputy Conley did nothing to deserve the tragic fate that befell him and his family. In stark contrast, some hailed as social justice heroes have contributed to their own and others' detriment in significant ways.
While many who read this on my personal social media already understand this, I will not engage with those who generalize and criticize without merit, while spouting nonsense and anger about those that generalize populations. Often, I remain silent in the face of such noise, focusing on helping individuals professionally and discreetly when on that individual basis. But not today.
Today is for remembering the Conleys. I am profoundly proud of Rachel Conley and the strength she has shown—a true hero. I am forever grateful to have been part of the Conleys' story that day, even under tragic circumstances, and that Rachel had no idea the people who would be there to help. It prides me to see the number of people standing by her side that day, a vision I will never lose.
