Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: FEBRUARY 2017 27 by Alex Hafliger W i t h a l l o f t h e violence and re- bellious behavior that has been occurring, especially di- rected at police officers over the past year, a night away from the job can be a refreshing time. Police officers from Cen- tral Illinois gathered last fall in Jacksonville, Illinois, for the 5th Annual Central Illinois Policeman’s Ball. The vent was founded and planned each year by the Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA). The Policeman’s Ball is not limited to those who serve and protect. The CPA takes measures to ensure that all members of the com- munity are aware they are welcome to attend the event to sup- port their lo- cal officers. As a stu- d e n t a t MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, I am honored to have had the privilege of helping represent my insti- tution at such a fine event. As the meal began, the names of well over 100 men and women were read, each one having fall- en in the line of duty in 2016. As a Criminal Justice/ Homeland Security dou- ble-major, I have a very high interest in pursuing a career in law enforce- ment. At this event, the realiza- tion of what it takes to be a police officer suddenly set in. Sitting in a classroom, it is difficult to understand the weight of emotion among the men and women who have lost husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and so Attending a Policeman’s Ball forever altered this student’s view about law enforcement. From left to right, Alex Hafliger (the author); Professor Robert Elliott, a MacMurray College Professor; and student Elaine Wisneski. many others that are dear to them. At times, our younger generation overlooks the simple fact that when an officer leaves for their shift, they may not return. The evening’s keynote speaker was Craig King of the Springfield Division of the FBI. He talked about what it was like to be inside the prison at Guantanamo Bay. King described some of the prisoners who wanted nothing but the worst for everyone in the United States. This presentation taught me so much about what it will take for me to become successful in law enforce- ment. It helps establish the fact that if the never-end- ing drive to do anything and every- thing neces- sary to pro- tect others is not present then a law e n f o r c e - ment career may not be the best fu- ture. Law en- forcement never stops and it never quits. It is absolutely incredible to witness a group of indi- viduals who refuse to stop for anything during their efforts to provide a safe community for its citizens. It will always be neces- sary for members of society to risk their lives in the ef- forts to protect those who may not be able to protect themselves and it is impor- tant that these remarkable men and women do not go unnoticed. Overall, it is shocking how one night can truly redefine what I previously believed a law enforcement career meant. While I certainly have much more to learn in order to be the best officer that I can be, the perspec- tive on a future in this field that I gained from attend- ing the Policeman’s Ball was an enormous step in the right direction. Attending an event like this is something that I recommend for all criminal justice students, as well as for people who want to ob- tain a better understanding of how much our men and women in blue do for us. Alex Hafliger is 18 years old and double-majoring in Crimi- nal Justice and Homeland Security at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. He wrote this piece after attending a Policeman’s Ball recently. Sitting in a classroom, it is nearly impossible to understand the weight of emotion within the silence of men and women that have lost so many. This kid gets it! Learning how important police are NSA WEBINAR SERIES Featuring a new educational webinar on the second Thursday of each month at 2:00pm ET. Visit www.sheriffs.org/webinarsapb to view upcoming and archived webinars.