May 15th is National Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor the men and women in law enforcement who gave their lives protecting the rest of us. For most people, it’s a meaningful observance. For those who have worn the badge, it’s something much deeper.
I know because I wore one myself.
Many people know me from radio, television, or my years in the car business, but long before any of that, I worked for the Dallas Police Department. I’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with officers who were willing to risk everything for people they didn’t even know. I’ve been there for the good days, the dangerous days, and the heartbreaking days when a dear friend I was supposed to be working with was savagely gunned down at the age of 24. Rest in peace Ron Baker.
And I’ve put the black tape on my badge for others more times than I ever wanted to.
If you’re not familiar with it, when an officer dies in the line of duty, fellow officers place a black mourning band across their badge. It’s simple, quiet, and powerful. No words are necessary. Every officer understands exactly what it means.
That image never leaves you.
Which is why the song I released this week is called “Black Tape on My Badge.”
I wrote it because there are some things you carry forever. For me, one of those things is July 7, 2016.
I will never get over that night.
Seven Dallas police officers were gunned down during what had started as a peaceful protest in downtown Dallas. Five officers were murdered. Others were critically wounded. It was one of the darkest nights in the history of our city and one of the darkest moments I’ve ever personally experienced.
Even now, nearly 10 years later, it’s hard to describe the emotions from that night. Shock. Anger. Sadness. Disbelief. But mostly heartbreak. Those officers kissed their families goodbye that morning expecting to come home after work, just like every other day.
They didn’t.
For those of us connected to law enforcement, it hit differently because we understood exactly what those officers were doing when the shots rang out. They weren’t thinking about politics. They weren’t thinking about headlines. They were thinking about protecting innocent people.
That’s what police officers do every day in America.
And despite everything they face today, the overwhelming majority still do it honorably.
That’s one reason I wanted to write this song. Not to make a political statement. Not to argue with anyone. I wrote it as a tribute to the people behind the badge and the sacrifices they and their families make every single day.
As I worked through the lyrics, memories came flooding back. Officers I knew. Funerals I attended. The sound of bagpipes. 21-gun salutes. Patrol cars lined up for miles. Family members being handed neatly folded American flags and trying to stay strong while their entire world had just been shattered.
You never really forget those moments.
The older I get, the more respect I have for the men and women who continue doing this job. Every shift starts with uncertainty. Every traffic stop carries risk. Every call could change a life forever, including their own.
Yet they keep showing up.
That deserves gratitude, especially today.
National Peace Officers Memorial Day is not about politics. It’s about remembering human beings who believed protecting others mattered more than protecting themselves. It’s about honoring courage, sacrifice and service.
And for some of us, it’s personal.
So, if you see an officer this Friday, take a second to thank them. It may mean more than you realize.
And if you have a chance, listen to “Black Tape on My Badge.” I wrote it from experience, from memories, and from a place in my heart that still aches for the officers we’ve lost, especially those we lost here in Dallas on July 7, 2016.
For every officer who never made it home, and for every family still carrying that loss, this song is for you.
Click on the photo below or click here to listen and see the lyrics→