By Terra Avilla
This week’s article has legitimately taken me four days to write. As I would begin writing, I would start crying, compose myself, start writing, and the process would begin all over again. I don’t know why it was so difficult when really, the main theme of this week’s article is, ‘Thank you Lassen County for supporting your law enforcement.’
Thank you for being relentless about having our back. Thank you for your reassurance. We all feel it, we all see it and we all appreciate it.
Last Friday, Lieutenant Cochran and I had the honor of attending Davis Police Officer Natalie Corona’s funeral. Life changing. I stood there among a sea of other law enforcement from across the country and the comradery was almost tangible.
Davis, a college town, was shaken by such a heinous, violent act. A senseless crime that could happen anywhere. And as much as I pray it never does, it could happen here. The thing that always makes me feel better, and so very proud to work where I do – is You. Yes you, the person I have never met. The person who has never met me. Thank you for contributing to a culture of mutual respect between law enforcement and the community we serve.
Now, I am most certainly not saying that everyone single person in our community supports law enforcement or even needs to support their law enforcement. I know some of you have a disdain for police and I respect your feelings. However, I will say that in large majority, whether you are a fan of the police or not, the overall regard that Lassen County has for law enforcement is unrivaled.
I come from a family of civilians. My papa is a sales manager and my momma works at an elementary school. They support law enforcement, but not being familiar with the nature of what it means to be a ‘blue family’ they have a lot of apprehension about their daughter being a police officer in today’s political climate.
I have had countless talks with my mom, about how appreciative she is that I work here, with you. Serving the population that I do.
A little over five years ago, I had just started my employment for the city. My mother called frantic as she was watching the news in Reno about how all of their officers were mandatorily being told to ride as double units, due to local threats against them. Threats to kill them, simply for being a police officer.
My mom called me asking if I was working – and promptly told me I should take the week off. I told my mom that Lassen County was very supportive of us, not to worry and that I had to go to work. It was true, that week I distinctly remember at least four people coming up to my partner and I, thanking us for patrolling their neighborhood.
This, or occurrences just like it, have happened almost every week since I’ve worked here. Little kids give us hugs that we so happily embrace. Working graveyard shifts, I would make it a game to count the ‘Thin blue line’ flags on the streets until I lost count.
On road closures for community events, people handing us bottled water, as we direct traffic at the intersection. I appreciate it. We all appreciate it.
As a whole, our community does a superior job in showing us their support of law enforcement. During the holiday season many community members bring deputies, officers, our CHP counterparts and correctional officers goodies, thanking us for working on holidays.
The college hosts dinners, Lassen Family Services and the District Attorney’s office host luncheons.
The community goes out of their way to tell us thank you when in reality we are the thankful ones.
Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for letting us sometimes skip to the front of the line so we can eat before we get dispatched to a call. Thank you for holding the door for us as we enter, giving us the back corner seats at the restaurant and for the smiles and waves as we drive by.
Thank you for seeing us and supporting us. We will never know why bad things happen, and with 2019 turning out to be one of the deadliest years so far for law enforcement offices, it doesn’t look like that is going to change any time soon.
But to all of you, thank you for having our six, because your local law enforcement most definitely has yours. You are all very much one of the reasons, I love the place I work and the place I call home.
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