Soul To Sole

I spent the weekend in Washington D.C.
and I can not remember when my feet
have ever hurt so much.

I went to D.C. to present awards at the
annual Top Cops ceremony for outstanding
acts of heroism by police officers around the country.
The host was John Walsh, and anyone who
knows me or has ever read the stuff I write knows
what it meant to me to meet him, wow.

I also spent one day with the awesome
agents and all others at the NCIS headquarters
in DC, did like 5 radio/tv interviews about Top Cops,
saw an amazing drag show
and attended a benefit for the Human Rights Campaign,
an organization I highly support.
(more on them in a later post, truly inspiring
evening, Julian Bond just rocks.
So does Wanda Alston, as does Cyndi Lauper
and the B-52s, and my fave new lil' guy Leslie Jordan)
All of this in less than three days
and most of it in high heels,
which I am SO not accustomed to.
Me and my best friend Darren
(who accompanied me)
figured out that we got about 6 hours
sleep in 3 days. At least he didn't have to
wear a dress.

I presented the awards at Top Cops for officers in New Orleans.
In August of 2004, two female officers were called
to a home where a 38 year old man was out of control
and needed to be committed.
They were told he had no weapons.
When they arrived at the house, Officer LaToya Johnson
entered first and was immediately shot by the man
who not only had a weapon, but an entire arsenal in
his bedroom. When she fell, he emptied the rest
of his ammo on her. Her partner called for back up
and it took a team of officers to end the shooting rampage
in which he also killed one of his own family members.
LaToya was 27 years old and left behind a 10 year old
adorable daughter and was beloved to her friends
and family. I can't stop thinking about her.


I also can not stop thinking about all of the awesome
cops I had the honor of meeting at this event.
In particular, Lt. David Benelli and his wife, Sgt. Becky
Benelli (they met on a crime scene).
I was super excited when I found out they were
going to be there, as I had seen a news report on them
earlier in the month and have often thought of them.
They are the couple in New Orleans that have had over
30 officers staying in their home since Katrina hit
(70% of the officers lost their homes, lost everything).
They have been running their home (coined "Camp Benelli")
like this, working day and night with the other good cops
that are doing their job and beyond.

I had the incredible opportunity to stay up too late with
the Benelli's the other night talking (along with other
awesome cops from around the country). I asked David,
because they would know, what is the one thing that
people could do to help them
that would help the most.
He knew.
I'm sure he's been thinking about it alot.
They have lost a majority of their officers,
some split, some were doing bad things,
some committed suicide.
But some have bravely stayed and served and helped.
These officers are homeless, lost everything and
their family members, and have continued on the job
day and night, saving lives.
They desperately need help.

Just so you know,
I have always been a cop fan.
Big Time.
Because of the recent controversy
and controversy that has happened in
the past and will come up in the future,
let me restate:
There is nothing better than a good cop,
and nothing worse than a bad one.
The people who know this the best are
GOOD COPS.
I am a fan of Good Cops.
I hate that the actions of others
(bad cops)
interfere with the work of and
taint the reputation of
those who are out there doing exactly
what they said what they would do:
Serve and Protect.

So, anyways, I'm ready.
I am in the process of starting an
organization to get funding directly to
the Good Cops who have lost everything.
I have no idea what I am doing,
but I am going to do it, with and in honor
of The Officers Benelli and all the outstanding
officers who are not being talked about,
who stayed and saved.
I will post soon with an address and info
to donate.
Please do not forget about the cops who have
done nothing but help, heart and soul,
and continue to do so
even though they've lost everything.

I came home last night and collapsed.
Then I couldn't sleep because my feet hurt so bad.
The soles of my feet felt like someone had
knocked them with a 2x4 until they were bruised and
bleeding because of those damn heels.
And I had to go to work today.
I'm not a pill guy, but at like 4 in the morning,
I found a bottle of Advil someone left at my
apartment. It actually was extremely helpful,
stopped the throbbing.

But again, whatever.
The people in the wake of the disasters all
over the country don't have shoes or Advil
or sleep or beds or anything else.
There is need everywhere.
I'm trying to find specific ways to help.
And one of them is helping the helpful.

I rewrote part of my speech for Top Cops.
It said "I went to college for criminal science,
I wanted to be a cop, but I never thought
I was brave enough. Thankfully there are those
are." And I was surrounded by them.
The really, really good ones.

Who knows, maybe one day I will find myself
as brave as I want to be, and will can all this and
become a cop, a good cop.
Maybe me and Shaq (who also wants to be a cop)
will one day be able to pull
someone to safety, save a life, serve, protect.
Shaq probably will do it.
I can only dream about it.


p.s.
there is a great article about the Benelli's,
I don't think I know how to make it a link but, here:
Home Of The Brave