The lazy stereotype of a cop sees them relaxing with a cup of coffee and a doughnut - but one police officer is here to tell you that the reality of the job is a far cry from this.
PC Jade Hunter perfectly exemplified how officers regularly show courage in the face of tragedy when she took to social media to share a devastating anecdote about a little girl's death.
Writing on Twitter, Jade started by describing an evening shift where she and five colleagues responded to a call about a three-year-old who was in cardiac arrest. Despite paramedics' best efforts, the child didn't make it.
"Last night myself and five colleagues attended a report of a three-year-old female in a cardiac arrest," wrote Jade. "Ambulance were already on scene and I cannot praise them enough for their amazing efforts and professionalism at such a difficult time. Unfortunately she didn’t make it and my heart and deepest sympathies go out to her family and friends."
The officer, who is based in Wakefield, continued to correct those out there who claim police units don't work hard enough, saying: "Jobs like this are especially difficult to deal with, I cannot imagine the pain her parents and siblings are going through now. Being a police officer is not all about catching criminals and this is a side of the job many don’t realise we do.
"Next time you pull up at a local coffee shop or fast food restaurant and see a couple of police cars, please don’t post on social media that we’re 'skiving' or having a tea break. You never know what kind of situation we have just attended and dealt with, sometimes we need 5 or 10 minutes to gather our thoughts."
She finished by pleading with the public to realise police officers are "only human too".
"The public’s safety is our number one priority and it’s often that after jobs like these we are right back out there dealing with the next situation that comes in," she wrote. "We’re only human too. Please don’t penalise us for having feelings."
Her December 15 post, titled 'Food for thought', quickly went viral, picking up more than 1,000 likes and 30 retweets.
In addition, Jade was heralded by people online in the comment section for her bravery. "Hope your ok,it must have been a terrible shock for you to be there and witness such a tragedy. Sending you a BIG HUG.X Take care. (sic)," wrote one person.
Another added: "Absolutely heartbreaking story. I feel for the Police force so much for the courage they have to show while staring heartbreak in the face. So sad that this had to be written in the first place :( (sic)".
It just goes to show: next time one of us spots a police officer grabbing a quick coffee in a cafe, rather than rebuke them, perhaps we should offer to buy it for them.
