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WESTON, Conn. On Sunday morning, when Weston families are gathering around their trees, opening presents and enjoying time together, a few men and women in Weston will miss out on those holiday moments: The men and women of the Weston Police Department.
Its hard. We could be missing moments that we are not going to get back, like a childs first Christmas or time spent with family members that are getting older, said Weston Police Chief John Troxell. But it is something we try to rotate. We try not to have guys work all the holidays. We want our guys to have those moments with the family."
Working Christmas can feel strange, but officers try to make the most of it, said Sgt. Pat Daubert.
Sometimes we get a Charlie Brown tree and decorate it, sometimes families drop off cookies and cards or officers bring in plates of food. Its the little things like that that will get you through, Daubert said.
But Ill tell you, its definitely not the same. We all would rather be home with our families, he said.
Working as a police officer, Troxell said, is probably the most misunderstood job in public service. Its not about driving around town catching speeders to reach a quota or any of the other misconceptions that are out there - its about sacrificing your life to make the town of Weston safe.
We see a lot of sickness, death and destruction in so many families' lives, and we try to keep that smile on our face when we come to our own kids. We do miss some holidays and yes, it is tough, but to be honest, its all worth it, said Daubert.
What this job teaches you, and it is something that you learn very quickly, is that life if fragile," Troxell added. "It makes you look differently at your own family members and you learn appreciate the quality time.
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