My biological father (he didn’t raise me & I have never “owned” him as being “my father”) was a deputy sheriff for the NY State Police Department. With no exaggeration, he was the cruelest, most violent, racist man - I’m embarrassed to even admit he was part of my DNA (and am ever so grateful my mother escaped him in the late 1950s) - I (not too quietly) cheered when I heard he died a pretty horrible death (about 5 years after his demise). Does that sound terrible of me? I bet there are millions of us that have done and felt the same.
This piece also feels like something that could be written by members of the armed forces, particularly those who have seen combat.
My brother’s 40-year career was in law enforcement (police and FBI). He spent most of it as an undercover narcotics cop in Detroit/metro area. He retired with permanent PTSD. He can’t unsee the things he’s seen or the things he had to do (kill in a couple of instances). I’ve also seen him struggle with racism as he was professionally taught to profile which, in the course of his undercover work, seemed to pan out almost every time. He still can’t sit in a restaurant with his back to a door or let go of his concealed weapon. He doesn’t sleep well.
I love my brother. He is a good man whose work has ruined both his body and the attainment of peace in this last trimester of his life. He puts on a brave face, but I’ve seen him break down. It makes me so sad.
Could depend on the role. Would doing counter insurgency patrols in a civilian populated area be more likely to result in these kinds of issues than other roles?
Law enforcement roles might also differ. Would park rangers, highway patrol, and city police in high crime areas differ in how they are affected by their work?