Why I do this podcast – Four Year Anniversary! It was September 2020 – the height of the riots and civil unrest. I had to find a way to stand up for all of you in law enforcement. The attacks – physical and emotional – and the toll they took were too much. I could not sit idly by. I could not be silent. And so "On Being a Police Officer" began.

By then, I had already been working with law enforcement in my area for ten years after the tragic loss of five officers to ambush murders in late 2009, all in less than a month's time. Through the work I started in honor of them, I developed an understanding of and deep respect for those of you who put on that badge and go out there every day risking your own lives to protect ours. By 2020, I had to spread my message of support to a wider audience. I am grateful that through this podcast, I have been able to interview law enforcement from around the country and to tell your stories, your message to a national (even international) audience.

“On Being a Police Officer” started as and still is a podcast with a mission, and that is to give law enforcement a voice so we can see the person in the uniform, the person behind the badge. Every story is unique, and yet every story shows the commitment, service and sacrifice you make.

By sharing these stories with a civilian perspective, my goal is to help law enforcement feel supported and appreciated, and to bring my fellow civilians along with me on this journey of understanding.

You can help me spread this message by continuing to listen and by sharing it with others. If you’re on Apple podcasts, please leave me a five-star review: scroll down the list of episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews. Tap the five stars and then scroll down again to where it says Write a Review. If you are on Spotify, hit Follow and then tap the gear icon to give me a five-star rating there. All of this helps push the podcast up in the algorithm and makes it discoverable to a wider audience. Thank you!!

I also want to thank those of you who were with me from the start and who helped make this real. Sean, Linda, Nick, Britt to name a few. I also want to thank my husband and sister for always being my first listeners before each episode goes live. Your support means everything.

Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org