While most Dallasites slumbered thanks to Mr. Sandman on Saturday, June 13, the Dallas police headquarters across the way from South Side on Lamar was under fire. Many woke up the following morning to news about the “incident” and watched on TV the morning’s developments with the gunman being killed.
It was safe to watch at home, but imagine having to be one of those responders facing gunfire and potential explosions, or being their families monitoring developments.
While the politicos chew on how to better support the Dallas Police Departments, others are grass rooting support.
Need a for instance? Okay, how about the Merriman Park/University Manor neighborhood?
It started, like many, with a single idea. Resident Katie Quinn thought “We should do something to reach out our very stressed-out police force.”
According to MPUM Officer Donna Mason, “We did take a sheet cake to the Northeast station, along with a thank you ‘you are the best’ card to Chief David Brown.”
Now the little development created in the 1950’s has ramped up and created a 10-foot banner to place on the Northwest Highway entry and declared “to color our neighborhood blue to show our support of the Dallas Police Department.”
Taking it a step farther, they’re having “rolls of blue ribbons cut in 1’ lengths for people to tie around a tree or tacking to trees, on porches — anywhere visible so all residents have an opportunity to show their support.”
The message in this case is to support the Dallas police, but perhaps it needs to be expanded to include all first responders. It doesn’t have to be a community effort like MPUM. It can be an individual one. If you’re driving by and see a policeman or a fireman, roll down the window and say, “Thank you.” Make an effort to introduce your munchkins to first responders. They need to recognize these uniformed people and feel comfortable around them. Write your City Council representative and let them know of your support for these individuals, who daily step between victims and danger.
* Graphic provided by Merriman Park/University Manor