“For those of you who serve now, or who have served, I ask you not to become discouraged by the negative news media, but to stand tall, stand proud of who you are.”
These comments are among those by Lt. Steven O’Dell, first in a series of short videos submitted to the DC Police Memorial by retired officers and other key people tied to the DC Metropolitan Police Department. Lt. O’Dell talks about his experience on the force and the seven colleagues who died in the line of duty in the first two years he became an officer in February of 1971.
A 34 year veteran of the force, he also makes an impassioned plea to those serving and who have served to “show your support to the DC Police Memorial fund.”
Please take a moment to listen to his important call to action:
Transcript:
Former Chief Cathy Lanier –
“My name is Cathy Lanier and I spent 27 years with the DC Metropolitan Police Department. During those 27 years, I had the opportunity to work alongside the most extraordinary men and women in law enforcement. These men and women sacrificed time with their families, vacations and days off so that they could be in the city to make sure everyone else could come and and enjoy holidays and events like 4th of July while with their families while the officers’ families celebrated alone.
These officers also sacrificed, in many cases, their own self-care – their own health – because of the hours and the shift work they put in.
Unfortunately too many of these officers sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
That’s why I’m here to ask for your support. Please show the families of these officers that lost their lives in the line of duty that their lives do matter. Please give to the DC Police Memorial. Give something. Give anything. But, show these officers that their lives matter. “