By When the time comes, send me.
Isaiah 6:8
Darin Chavers, an alum who is serving as a police officer in Helena, loves his job. But serving and protecting the people of Helena comes at a cost – both for the officer and for the family and loved ones.
“I had to miss the baptism of my goddaughter to work a night shift,” he said. “That was really hard for me, but I work the kind of job that takes sacrifices like that.”
Law enforcement is often seen through the lens of action, authority, and community service. However, what remains less visible are the sacrifices officers make in the line of duty – sacrifices that extend beyond the badge and deeply affect their personal lives.
Two officers, both Carroll grads, agreed to share their stories so that the we can all people better understand the sacrifices of public servants.
Officer Chavers graduated from Carroll in 2023 with a psychology degree
The second officer serves as a SWAT officer and field training officer. He requested his name not be used. I’ll refer to him as the Deputy.
Both of them shed light on the most significant challenges that come with their jobs.
For most people, holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries are cherished moments spent with family and friends. But for police officers, these occasions are not guaranteed.
“Officers work 24/7 and 365 days a year, including birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays,” Chavers explains. “Included in this is no guarantee of getting off on time due to excess amounts of overtime.”
The Washington deputy echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the strain this puts on officers and their loved ones.
“The hardest part of my job is leaving my family, knowing the dangers and hazards I will surely encounter,” he said. “But I do so willingly because I know the consequences and chaos that would run wild in our community if not for the existence of domestic law enforcement.”
This unpredictability means missing out on first steps, family gatherings, and holiday traditions. While the world enjoys time with loved ones, officers remain on duty, ensuring that others can celebrate safely.
“This is by far the most difficult part of the job,” Chavers says. “Officers sacrifice a lot to work and help people so that they can enjoy time with their loved ones, as well as making them safe.”
While the families are proud of the work that he does, they do worry – and miss him when he’s gone.
“It can be hard to communicate effectively when we are on opposite schedules,” says Kody Chavers, Darin’s wife. “One person is waking up and the other is tired from their day at work.”
One police spouse, speaking in an online forum, put it simply: “I sleep alone, so you sleep safe.”
Another burden on officers’ shoulders is the responsibility of responding to life’s most tragic moments.
When someone dials 911, it marks a moment of crisis—— a plea for help in the face of an emergency.
The first to arrive is often a first responder, frequently an officer, tasked not only with resolving the situation but also with steadying those caught in its wake. Officers serve as guardians of public safety, yet they are also counselors, called upon to confront moments of profound human vulnerability with compassion and resolve.
“Most people’s reason for calling 911 is in regard to one of the most horrible moments of their life,” Chavers says. “First responders deal with this on a day-to-day basis. I became a police officer to help make those incidents better for anyone involved.”
The deputy expanded on this, reflecting on the darker realities of law enforcement.
“I have seen first-hand the realities of evil in the world and the impact it has on innocent people,” he said. “The commitment I have chosen carries a heavy toll on myself as well as my family and personal life.”
Officers witness grief, violence, and loss regularly. W, and while they are trained to handle these moments professionally, they admit to being deeply affected by the emotional stress that accompanies their daily work.
Carrying the burden of others’ pain is an invisible sacrifice that few outside the profession truly understand.
Both deputies have had experiences that forced them to take time off work to properly process and decompress from events on shift.
Despite these hardships, individuals proudly choose a career as a public servant. They do so not for recognition, but for the opportunity help others – at times when they are most vulnerable.
The sacrifices police officers make – both seen and unseen – are done out of a commitment to their communities. They give their time, their emotional resilience, and sometimes their own well-being to ensure the safety and stability of others.
“I gladly put myself in harm’s way knowing my efforts contribute to the greater good of the community and our country,” the deputy said. “Being a police officer is much more than a job. It is a calling. It is a vocation.”
The struggles of a job like this go beyond the individual. Families share the sacrifices and help to bear the burdens.
“Being married to a police officer is a constant rollercoaster of emotions,” said Kody Chavers. “Some nights, it feels like I’m holding my breath, just waiting for him to come home safe. I know he’s doing something vital, but the weight of the unknown-whether it’s a dangerous situation or an emotional burden he brings home-takes its toll on both of us. It’s not just his stress that we carry, it’s ours too.”
Spouses of police officers, much like the partners of those who serve in the military, willingly shoulder the unique burdens that come with loving someone in uniform. They know that deep love brings deep longing in absence—— and an even deeper worry when their loved one faces danger in the line of duty.
“He has to miss lots of big holidays, but I would say it's tougher to have him miss everyday things,” she continues. “We don’t get to do a lot of simple things that most couples take for granted. But it makes the time that we do share very valuable.”
It is important for all of ussociety to recognize and appreciate these sacrifices.
While we enjoy time with our loved ones, let us remember those who make it possible – officers who spend holidays on duty, who answer the call during times of crisis, and who carry the unseen burdens of their profession with unwavering dedication.
Are all the sacrifices worth it?
“One day I did CPR on a man with no pulse and saved his life while he was at dinner with his kids and grandkids,” said Chavers. “So yes, it is worth it.”
“Don’t ask for God to lighten your cross, ask that He broadens your shoulders”
-Anonymous.
