Lines and Lives in Blue

That “thin blue line” on those black and white flags signifies the number of police officers who have fallen in the line of duty. Corporal Keith Heacock should have survived his wounds in Delmar, Delaware. He became an emblem embedded in the memories of his fellow officers and of course his family. He was murdered by Randon Wilkkerson because he was in a drug-induced manic phase. What does this mean? Superior Court Judge Craig Karsnitz found Wilkerson guilty on 16 charges including first degree murder and murder of a law enforcement officer. Wilkerson chose to not have a jury present during the speedy trial.

In the fight for his life, Cpl. Heacock had been beaten to death, blood spilling from his head. He started alone but soon dispatches alerted other officers to the plight of their fellow brother in blue. Wicomico County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Houck looked for Heacock. With his bodycam fully engaged, it captured the carnage of the late law enforcement officer. Judge Krasnitz permitted the video to be shown before the assembly of Delaware citizens. Some bursts of disgust and some whimpers arose from the rows of seats in the courtroom.

A Delaware state trooper arrived on the scene and accompanied Houck and read the room. Though it was ghastly, both men had been prepared for a scene like this in their training. The judge allowed for a ten-minute recess for the members of the assembly to gather themselves after witnessing such horrific scenes. Krasnitz saw something different. He remarked on how they went into a situation knowing that it wouldn’t be pretty and still performed their jobs with honor and distinction. He called it “heroic.” With the amount of evidence that piled up against Wilkerson, who was partying using bath salts, vodka, and other substances to celebrate his twenty-fifth birthday, Judge Krasnitz quickly found him guilty on all charges.

That amount of youth, just a few years past the legal age of drinking, and Wilkerson will never walk as a free man again most likely. Sentencing begins on December 8.

Since the altercation on April 25, 2021, there have been memorials and cards and well wishes for the family. Corporal Heacock’s life meant more than just defending himself from some vicious hooligan. That’s why the judge had acted so quickly in banging the gavel in opposition to the criminal’s life. It is going to weigh on the community for decades to come and remind people of the difference that officers make. Without them, there would be no order in the streets. Laws would be meaningless if no enforcers existed to protect the populace from dangerous thugs. Policemen and women wear that badge as a shield of honor. It is supposed to remind everyone that minus the cops, all you have is chaos. So for Wilkerson to be intoxicated and possibly appeal concerning the fact that he was high when he committed the crimes, that’s probably not going to fly. Krasnitz is keen on ensuring that the miscreant will stay behind bars.

That thin blue line is still waving in the wind on many houses around the country and probably parts of the world where Americans still find respect and admiration.

Cpl. Heacock woke up on that April morning and donned his uniform never knowing he wouldn’t be coming home again. With the calls for defunding the police, people tend to forget about those heroes who protect our rights as a proper function of government. It is because of Heacock and others who have fallen that the blue line waves in the breeze. Houck and the unnamed Delaware State Police Trooper exhibited great bravery in the face of an uncertain atmosphere. They ought to be commended for going in with just a few details regarding the scene. A Laurel Police Department officer, also unnamed in the original story, showed up and took command of the situation. Houck succeeded in cuffing the five other occupants.

These acts of heroism are just the next thing to do for police officers.

There is a way that they honor each other and certify that their loyalty to themselves is always at the highest levels. With the death of this police officer, it will once again show people that everything we do is protected by the blue. It doesn’t matter if we’re stopped for a traffic ticket or if we are responsible for getting high and forever silencing a man of the law, cops just do their jobs. Well. They take into the account the dangers of such a profession and continue without ever considering the fear they might develop. Sure they might be afraid but that is no deterrent for them to fulfill their roles as protectors.

So what will happen with a possible appeal? The Department of Justice Prosecutor says that one is unlikely given the mound of evidence and the judge’s swift decision. After so many delays, it appears as if the scales of justice have tipped in the favor of Corporal Heacock’s memory. All of the time that he could have spent living past his 54 years, he could have continued with his family and friends. Instead, we have monsters like Wilkerson who snatched the officer’s life.

Just that thin blue line on those flags is a signal to the folks who seek to damage and destroy lives without care. Because of officers like Houck, it is possible for many to sleep well at night. It is a result of his steadfast dedication to that badge, that he even leapt to try to save the life of a blue brother. He tried CPR on Heacock but received no response. Just the act of trying to get a pulse, a breath, something from the man demonstrates just how committed and composed he kept himself in the face of danger. That blue line means more than just a way to adorn your deck or provide your garage with a bit of flair. It means lives, blue lives, past, present, and tomorrow.