The following is from a police chaplain:
Have you ever considered where your career and authority as a police officer comes from? What and who gives you the right to do what you do? Does your authority come from the city council? The Chief? Or does it come from a long list of rules and regulations laid down over the years in a policies and procedures manual? It may surprise you that both your calling and your authority as a police officer come from God Himself.
Romans 13 declares, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” The first part of verse 4 says of the law enforcement officer, “For he is God's minister (servant) to you for good.”
God knows the heart of man and has appointed the police officer to enforce the laws that He has ordained for humanity. Our legal system and the laws of the land are rooted in the laws and statutes laid down by God in the Bible.
Enforcing the law and protecting the public sometimes requires the use of deadly force. Romans 13:4 says of the police officer, “For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” Some people are critical of the officer’s use of force. “Who made the police officer judge, jury and executioner?” Well, God did, and sometimes the whole process goes down in a matter of seconds.
If the day comes, God forbid, that you have to use deadly force, never forget that you have God given authority and the responsibility to wield the sword, or in your case, wield the Glock, the 870 and the AR. You are God’s minister for good and sometimes that means executing wrath on the wicked. Don’t condemn yourself. You are fulfilling your God given duty for the good and safety of the public you swore to protect.
God even worked out how you were to be paid as a law enforcement officer. Romans 13:6 says, “For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.” Since officers are ministers, (a word that simply means servants), of the public, it is the public’s responsibility to pay the officer’s salary via taxes.
Since it is God that has called you as one of His ministers and has given you a great deal of authority and responsibility, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
First, be mindful of Who you really work for. If you work for the city, the Chief, the department or the people, you can easily become discouraged and frustrated. But it you keep in mind that it is God that you work for, you can roll everything onto Him. He sees what you do. He knows the situations you are in and He knows your heart. Seek to please God and He will handle everything else.
Secondly, depend upon the Lord. The life of an officer can be very stressful. Not just on the job but off the job as well. It can severely affect the quality of your personal life, sometimes devastating marriages and families. Just as you don’t go on duty without going to roll call, don’t go through the day without spending time with God in the Bible and prayer. He will give you the wisdom and strength to handle whatever comes your way.
