In today's day in age, being a police officer is one of the toughest jobs a person can have. Not only do they risk their own personal safety at every traffic stop and house call, they literally have to chase danger as a part of their duty to protect and serve!

My father gave 28 years of his life to the Orange County Sheriff's Department down in southern California, and while I can't say I know what it's like to catch bad guys for a living. I do know how it feels to have my dad miss birthdays, holidays, volleyball games etc. because he had to work a 12-14 hour shift. I know what it's like to receive a heart-stopping phone call when my dad was rushed to the hospital after getting attacked by a loser who was messed up on PCP and every other bad drug you could be on. Even though all these experiences sucked, I was always comforted knowing that my dad was out there somewhere locking up bad guys and keeping people safe.

I consider myself extremely lucky to still have my dad around, because it seems like more and more these days, officers are getting killed in the line of duty. Montana is still feeling the heavy loss of  Broadwater County Sheriff’s Deputy Mason Moore, who was shot and killed Tuesday morning. I'm sure we'll feel this loss for a long time.

On Thursday, May 18th, the Missoula Police Department is hosting their 17th Annual Memorial Service. The evening will pay tribute to all fallen officers and honor the officers and their families who made the ultimate sacrifice. If you have the time, I'm sure your added presence at the ceremony would mean a great deal to families who have lost loved ones!

Here's everything you need to know about the memorial service:

When: Thursday, May 18th, 2017

Time: 7pm-8:15pm

Where: Missoula Memorial Rose Garden - Law Enforcement Monument

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