October 25th marks the celebration of the feast of St. Crispin. It marks the martyrdom of Saints Crispinus and Crispianus, twin Christian cobblers who fled their homeland of Rome to France, where they evangelized to Gauls (Frenchmen) by day and made shoes at night. They were tortured and thrown into a river with millstones around their necks. They survived only to be later beheaded for their faith on October 25, 286 A.D.
The story of the brothers’ tribulations notwithstanding, most people now remember St. Crispin’s Day for the words of a playwright, William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare memorialized King Henry V during the historic 100 Years War in the play Henry V. He wrote a rousing speech by the King spoken to his men before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. With about 5,000 battle-weary men, the English were about to go up against a rested French force of reportedly 30,000 to 100,000 men.
King Henry V inspires his men to victory with words of honor and brotherhood.
Today, law enforcement in America has had its ranks shrink due to political and social pressures. As a result, fewer blue warriors are standing the line against the chaos of lawlessness. Officers are feeling fatigued, and morale is low. But we are not alone.
We need to stand tall with our brothers and sisters. If you talk to the people you serve, not just the people yelling “defund the police” or “ACAB,” you will find that you have the support of your fellow man. They want us out there, standing the line that they can’t or fear doing themselves. There is a reason we took on the badge. Take the time to talk to them and remind yourself of why you do what you do.
A few years ago, I was at a low point in my career. I had a vehicle pull up next to me at a traffic light. Of course, they stopped short of being side by side. I looked over and saw a boy in the backseat leaning forward to see me. He had a big smile on his face and waved enthusiastically at me. I smiled and waved back.
I turned on a side road and stopped a different car for speeding. After running her license and registration, I reapproached the car and gave her a warning for speed. She then thank me for a case I took as an investigator where her child was a victim of sexual abuse by the child’s father. I went back to my car, tears welled up in my eyes, and the realization that I had made a difference in the lives of others hit me hard.
Stand tall with your brothers and sisters of the thin blue line. We are needed. Hold the line.