By: Laura Soukkavong –
For a driver stranded along a Massachusetts highway, the sight of a cruiser pulling in behind them can bring a sense of relief. What they may remember afterward is the first thing the trooper asked: Were they hurt? Did they have someone they could call?
Those ordinary exchanges are part of what we recognize when we thank the men and women of the Massachusetts State Police. The job takes courage in dangerous moments. It also takes patience to explain a detour to a frustrated driver, listen while someone shaken by a crash piece together what happened, or deliver difficult news with care.
There’s a cost to being available when people need help. A night shift can mean a missed family dinner. A holiday spent on patrol is one spent away from home. The people who set aside a plate or make time for a phone call during a shift deserve a word of thanks, too.
To the troopers who serve across the Commonwealth, thank you for choosing this work. And to the trooper who stays a few extra minutes with someone waiting for a ride on the shoulder of a dark road: those minutes matter to the person waiting.