On Tuesday, three heroic police officers took down a man who was trying to selling firearms on the streets of Lakewood. Having been caught on video and published on TLS, the incident went viral, with multiple media outlets covering the story and dozens of thankful responses pouring in from Lakewood residents.

But it bears pointing out that this is just one incident among dozens, even hundreds of others, where Lakewood police officers have put their safety on the line for us. There are stories every day that fly under the radar, receiving little to no attention from the press or public. But the actions taken by our police officers, known and unknown, keep us safe and able to live in comfort knowing that tough, brave men and women stand at the ready to defend our rights and freedoms.

A wise man once said, “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” Those rough men and women who stand ready are our wonderful Lakewood police officers, who stand as our line of defense against those who wish harm upon others. They are the seam that keeps our society stable and effective; they are the heroes in our midst.

So the next time you see a police officer, thank them. Thank them for the difficult job they do to protect you. Thank them for the courteousness, professionalism and respect they exhibit every day. Thank them for the long hours of training they go through and the sleepless nights they endure on our behalf. Thank them for having the guts to confront evil and neutralize it. Thank them for their families, who worry that their father/husband/son/wife/daughter/mother won’t get home that night, yet still wholeheartedly support their heroic line of work.

We might not have the ability or resources to thank them appropriately and proportionately to what they do for us, but a sign of gratitude, a small thank you, goes a long way to letting these heroes know that we appreciate all they do for us.