Letter to the Editor: Thank You Beverly Police

To the Editor: 

The other evening the doorbell of my parish rectory rang and when I opened the door I discovered a rather confused elderly woman.  I contacted the and Officer Jeff Tache arrived and assisted her.  He was courteous, pleasant, and in a relatively short period of time won this woman’s trust and confidence and was able to offer her the assistance that she needed.

Sometimes, all within the same shift, a police officer is called upon to intervene in a domestic assault, approach a stolen car with tinted windows, and deal with an intoxicated person who is being disruptive. Fairly often, many of the people they encounter lie to them without any hesitation.  It is easy to see how a person in that line of work could become hardened and impersonal towards the public.  Dealing with violence, lying, and crime on a daily basis could easily shape how one views the whole world.  Instead, they manage to shift gears from one call to the next.  They leave highly stressful situations and moments later are smiling and offering a helping hand to someone in need.  That is not always easy.

During the past few years I have had the privilege of working as a chaplain to the Beverly Police Department and—because the work of a priest and the work of the police often intersect with the same members of the public—I have witnessed repeatedly their devotion and kindness to those in need.  Usually, when we hear about the police, it is because of some extraordinarily heroic act or because their judgment is being questioned.  But, the vast majority of their work is hidden from publicity. 

The other evening, a good police officer showed up and helped a confused and somewhat frightened elderly woman.  That is the type of thing that most police officers are doing on a daily basis and they do it with intelligence, kindness, and with dedication.   We mostly think of police officers when we see the blue lights flashing.  But, a lot of their time is spent quietly helping people and away from the flashing lights.  They might not often hear the words, “Thank You.”  So, thank you.

Fr. David J. Barnes

Beverly, MA