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A Call To Courage
Sung By Nicole Colvin
Written By Deputy Sheriff Darron McKinney
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A POLICE OFFICER'S PRAYER
Lord I ask for courage
Courage to face and
Conquer my own fears...
Courage to take me
Where others will not go...
I ask for strength
Strength of body to protect others
And strength of spirit to lead others...
I ask for dedication
Dedication to my job, to do it well
Dedication to my community
To keep it safe...
Give me Lord, concern
For others who trust me
And compassion for those who need me...
And please Lord
Through it all
Be at my side...
--Author Unknown
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The Police Officer's Prayer
to St. Michael
Saint Michael, heaven's glorious commissioner of police,
who once so neatly and successfully cleared God's premises
of all its undesirables, look with kindly and professional
eyes on your earthly force.
Give us cool heads, stout hearts, and uncanny flair for
investigation and wise judgment.
Make us the terror of burglars, the friend of children and
law-abiding citizens, kind to strangers, polite to bores,
strict with law-breakers and impervious to temptations.
You know, Saint Michael, from your own experiences
with the devil that the police officer's lot on earth is not
always a happy one; but your sense of duty that so
pleased God, your hard knocks that so surprised the
devil, and your angelic self-control give us inspiration.
And when we lay down our night sticks, enroll us in your
heavenly force, where we will be as proud to guard the
throne of God as we have been to guard the city of all
the people. Amen.
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The Knight
A lifetime ago, there came a day when I decided
to follow in the steps of my knighted ancestors.
To go forth bravely,
the law to defend and the right to uphold.
To seek evil and to conquer it,
and to return, wearing my shield or upon it.
As a squire, I stood in the presence
of the valiant knight and learned my lessons well.
The greatest of my peers,
I was certain, would never be fit their armor to bear.
These truly were heroes worthy of story and song,
and though few in number, daily they vanquished the foe.
In the fullness of time, I knelt before the king
and received my blued sword and shield of gold.
"Arise Sir Knight,"
he said, and arise I did, ready to take my place.
Among the heroes I rode, but apart from them,
rather than a part of them, for I was young.
A knight I was, and good enough for the king,
but still I had to prove my worth to the others.
After many campaigns,
I was welcomed at the feast table of the knights.
I laughed at their tales, but I remembered their battles,
knowing someday their wisdom could save my life.
I learned other lessons, incredible they seemed to me,
about the people for whom I was ready to hazard all.
Weak they often were,
and incapable of protecting themselves; needful of the
knights, yet prepared to sacrifice us for our humanity.
But we fought on, against all odds, for our cause was just.
Now, having long been a knight, sometimes I forget
the young squires who still have lessons to learn.
Those of my ilk,
we few who remain, with armor dented and blackened with
smoke of a thousand battles, teach them with our every deed.
Unnoticed, they watch us. I pray we teach them well.
Soon, I will unbuckle my sword, and my shield
will take its place with the others in the great hall.
My crusades over,
I will start on another path through life, a mere mortal.
I will watch the knights as they gallop past, into the fray.
I pray God will protect them; they're still my heroes.
By John R. Somers
Sergeant ~ Maryland State Police
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