By Bobb Rousseau | Columnist
Each day is worth taking a moment to reflect on the little-known sacrifices of police officers.
I always feel proud and safe when I see a police officer under the hot sun in the corners of the country’s most crowded and dangerous intersections. I do not care if he is chasing a bandit; I rejoice in the fact that he is there for me, my family, my friends, and my community.
Every time I see a police officer, I try to understand his sacrifices to defend and protect me. I try to understand the pressure, the pain and the fear his family endures. They know this may be the last time they will see their child, their significant other or their parents.
Every year for more than 25 years, few Haitians decide to serve and self-sacrifice on behalf of all of us. They do not do it as a job but as a career. They take huge risks without thinking that they are doing it at the cost of their lives. They are selfless, and they put our needs before theirs. They are so brave and loyal to our defense and general orders that they forget their families to ensure that we continue to exist.
From Cité Soleil to Bel-Air, from Village de Dieu, passing by Cité l’Eternel and Ti-Bwa to the massacres of Lassaline, from the challenges carried by the G9 to the bandits and mercenaries who want to bring us down to our knees, without hesitation, the police answered the call.
With immeasurable courage and patriotism, they defend our freedoms and protect our way of life, our lives, and property against all kinds of threats and domestic and international enemies. They represent the best of us.
I firmly believe that our most sacred obligation is to let them know that we take note of their daily sacrifices.
They face unprecedented challenges every day that test their integrity, resilience, patriotism and motivation to serve. They do not succumb and remain with their heads held high, their heart proud and consistent with their ideology of being organic regulations abiding citizens.
I am incredibly proud of their commitment, resilience, and hard work, whatever their rank, position, unit, or assignment post. They are society’s first line of defense.
I also salute the courage of their parents and their families, who suffer in silence every day. Thanks to their sacrifice and understanding, the Haitian National Police remains until today the only symbol of strength and hope of the country.
I am honored to have met several whom I believe are selfless heroes and role models. I will never forget the sacrifices of those missing, those who fell naturally or under murderous bullets; I owe them a debt of gratitude forever.
At this very moment, you see a policeman protecting a merchant, an office, a public institution, a business. You see a policeman defending a widow or an orphan against an executioner. If you have not already thanked him, stand up, go meet him and say, “Thank you for your service.”
Show them that you understand their role in society and the sacrifices they make. They are doing the riskiest service on the land.