Police officers will often share that one of their most concerning calls is that of domestic violence.  Spouses, friends, children or other relatives.

When arriving on the scene officers can be met by mutual de-escalation of the incident where peace has been restored prior to their arrival, or they can be met by verbal assaults, violent physical assaults, or worse.

            Who will be on the other side of the door when they arrive?  There is no such thing as a routine domestic violence call.

            In a city already racked by increasing crime and deadly murders, New York Police Officers Jasan Rivera and Wilbert Mora responded to a mother and son involved domestic violence call last Friday in the Harlem section of Manhattan, New York.

            The initial dispatch reported that the mother indicated that there were no weapons involved.  She didn't know her son was hiding guns in the bedroom.

            Rivera and Mora arrived and talked to the mother.  Then, they turned to walk down the hallway towards the bedroom where the son was hiding.  The son, convicted criminal Lashawn McNeil, burst from the bedroom firing his stolen 45-caliber pistol.  The ambushed officers' body cameras showed that he continued to fire, even after both officers fell to the floor.  Only the action of a third officer, rookie Sumit Sulan, stopped the shooting when he fired his own weapon and hit McNeil.

            Rivera died at the scene.  Mora died on Tuesday.  McNeil died on Monday.

            The current rate of violence in our cities doesn't seem to be subsiding.  Look at the totals in our own state and our own county.  Those who screamed to "defund the police" over the past two years need to change their pleas to "refund the police."      

            Rivera and Mora were doing their jobs, responding to a report of a dispute between a mother and son – with no weapons involved.  A NYPD police official called it a "run-of-the-mill" type of call.

            Now, officials send their thoughts and prayers to the families of the fallen officers.  Police officers line up in tribute to their fallen brothers.  Memorials are set up and vigils populate the scene where the crime occurred.  We all feel a sense of loss and helplessness when we learn of these tragedies.

            If someone will pull a gun and shoot a police officer, they wouldn't think twice about shooting you or me.  The police represent that thin blue line between civilized conduct and anarchy.

            Sadly, at times police may come face-to-face with someone who wants to do them harm.  Let's hope they make the right decision every time.

            Let's pray for their safety and hope we never come face-to-face with someone who doesn't care if we live or die.  If we do, let's hope there's a police officer nearby.