Police widow, Blue Courage award winner urges Americans to stop vilifying cops

Cindy Chesna, the widow of a slain Massachusetts police officer who turned her personal tragedy into a campaign to help other victims, is imploring Americans to stop vilifying every day law enforcement for just doing the job.

Chesna provided a impassioned defense of police officers nationwide as she was recognized Tuesday night as the recipient of Just the News' first-ever Blue Courage award in a one-hour TV special that aired on Real America's Voice network.

"It hurts to see all the police being vilified for their profession," she said. "They put their uniform on every day to protect the lives of others."

Sgt. Michael Chesna, an Army veteran and Purple Heart winner before joining the Weymouth, Mass., police department, was shot and killed in July 2018 after responding to a vandalism call. He was struck in the head by a brick and then shot with his own handgun by a violent perpetrator. His widow became an advocate for helping other families facing such tragedy., raising thousands of dollars for others after the Tunnel to Towers Foundation paid her family's mortgage.

Eric Greitens, the former Missouri governor and host of the Blue Courage show, credited Cindy Chesna for setting an example by passing the gift forward to others.

The show also included expert panels discussing how police departments and communities can heal rifts created by the death this summer of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Among the participants were former NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik, Congressman Greg Steube (R-Florida), and actor and producer Kirk Cameron. The program that was sponsored by Heritage Action for America and the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Kerik, who ran NYPD during the 9-11 terror attacks, said that one of the problems facing police officers in many cities is that they are not backed by their elected leaders.

"Today, we unfortunately over the last 20 years have elected leaders, mayors, city council members, and in many cities prosecutors that are extremely left-leaning, some are identified as Marxists, some are socialists. They don't like law enforcement, they villainize them, they victimize thugs," Kerik said. "That's who a lot of these cops today are working for."

"But when the leadership is turned against them and the leadership villainizes them and targets them, things start to go downhill and that's what we have seen," Kerik explained.

Steube, a military veteran who is one of the members of Congress who has signed onto Heritage Action for America's pro-police pledge, urged Americans to vote for elected officials who will stand behind law enforcement and ensure that they have everything they need to successfully protect the public.

Cameron also conveyed the message that people should support law enforcement.

"But, I believe we've got to be people of virtue and we've got to stand up for and protect and support those who are putting their lives on the line to support and protect us," he said.