Or they have meant that a suicidal addict was cornered somewhere, wielding a knife and determined to take someone with him. Whatever the situation, I've watched Mark run for his patrol car, securing the straps of his bulletproof vest and checking his gun. Then I've sat alone and waited in the deep silence that invades the house when the front door closes behind him. At those moments, I find myself unconsciously imprinting my last glimpse of Mark, just in case. And danger in law enforcement isn't limited to the threat of physical violence.
More subtle threats can be just as deadly.
Thousands of hours spent on the highway, in or out of a patrol car, put Mark at higher risk for an accident. Working and training with guns and other weapons is always a danger. Years of erratic sleep patterns, punctuated by sudden bursts of adrenaline can shorten a person's lifespan. Over time, these things can prove as deadly for an officer as a violent confrontation. The cumulative toll this high burn-out profession can take on a marriage is just as profound.