In 2019, Officer Jeff Stagg of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) submitted two poems for inclusion in Police1’s Police Poetry section. This year, we asked Jeff to write a poem for National Police Week.
“Since I sent you my two poems – ‘Police Man’ and ‘You’ve Got The Good Cops’ – almost three years ago, our country (and the entire world!) has been turned upside down,” writes Jeff. “It seems like so many things that are wrong, or what can be construed as ‘bad’ and ‘at fault,’ has fallen on the heads of those of us in law enforcement. The following poem, written to be sung to the tune of Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man,’ is my response.”
Email your poetry submissions for consideration to editor@police1.com.
A Cop Today
(My wife) pressed my uniform last night
My gear laid out, all set to wear
What will happen on this shift, who knows? So just prepare
When you’re a cop, no shift can be planned
No when or where, just know your partners have your back
And courage is the one sure thing we’ve never lacked
And it’s tougher now to be a cop today
When we were called the “finest” was countless yesterdays
The Thin Blue Line keeps taking more hits every day
We know…We know…yet right here we stay
Cops today, every city, every town, it’s “Come what may!”
And it’s tougher now, we pray more folks will care
Our fellow cops stand by us, we need to cry and share
Helping kids in suffering and pain
We know…We know…that our strength can wane
Cops today, men and women called to handle EVERYTHING!
And it’s tougher now through insults and the names
Our families know the truth, of us they’re not ashamed
So many of the wrongs here, fall on us to blame
If our profession ceases, Evil stakes its claim
We know, we know, yet right here we stay
Cops today, every shift we use our gifts to keep you safe
And I’m proud to still be called a cop today
Vets and rookies proud to be a cop today
Even though our lives could be the price we pay
We’re all proud to still be called a cop today
Please God bless us as we stay a cop today.