I was snoozing in my front porch lounge chair on a warm summer evening when a city police cruiser pulled into my driveway. Seeing the blue hue against my house, I sat up, taking notice that the policeman was accompanied by our house guest. He was from France, visiting my oldest daughter. She had become good friends with him when she lived there for a year or so.

 

Anyway, the reason our friend was in the police car was because he had been walking to our house late at night and when questioned by PD where he was going, he said the Perines. Since he was unfamiliar, the member of law enforcement gave him a ride so he could make sure he was staying with us. He was just being protective of the city residents and we appreciated that. So did our guest. He got a ride.

 

As a matter of fact, a similar incident had happened a year or so prior - when our German friend was visiting.

 

More recently, I was at our family deli late one night, getting an item I needed. I unlocked the front door and ducked behind the deli case and cash register to find what I was looking for. When I stood back up, a member of our city police department was standing there. I don’t know if I scared him, but he startled me. He immediately recognized me and knew I wasn’t an intruder. He had been driving by and saw the lights on, so he stopped to make sure everything was ok. Again, I appreciate that.

 

I’m sure many of you have similar stories. Even though our incidents were all uneventful, stepping in like these guys did was risky. These law enforcers don’t know what they are getting themselves into when they stop a suspicious person or walk into a closed business that is obviously occupied.

 

We are fortunate to live in a town small enough that, for the most part, our policemen know families, businesses and the pulse of the city. Day and night, they are patrolling, watching for activity out of the ordinary, keeping us safe.

 

I was participating in the Derek Hotsinpiller Fallen Stars 5K one year when another Bridgeport Police officer offered to drop my check-in packet off to my car. He was going in that direction anyway and saved me the extra steps. I guess he knew I was going to need that energy on the course. When he returned, he proceeded to tell me he had reinstalled the infant car seat because it wasn’t in there quite right. He wanted to make sure that was ok. Again, small-town law enforcement looking out for the safety of its residents.

 

My hats off to you, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your service.

 

Several years ago, Bridgeport initiated its own version of the national “Paint the Town Blue” to honor and uplift members of law enforcement. Bridgeport PD chose the second week in February to honor the late Deputy U.S. Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller who was fatally shot on February 16, 2011 while serving a warrant. If you feel so inclined, light your porch in blue as a tribute. 

 

Hotsinpiller's community and hometown family are forever indebteded to him and his brothers and sisters in law enforcement who daily step into dangerous situations with sacrificial loyalty and dedication. 

 

Hotsinpiller’s passion to serve the public through law enforcement was in a big way inspired by his role models – his dad and brother. Lt. James W. Hotsinpiller had served Bridgeport Police Department for 27 years and was second in command. He had been a member of the Child Abuse Task Force and commander of the Special Response Team. Within a year after his dad’s death, Derek’s older brother Dustin joined the Bridgeport police force, after which he was promoted to detective. He now serves as a Deputy U.S. Marshal.