In the recent wake of tension between communities and their police forces, a group of officers in the Hampton, Virginia department got together to discuss the problem and possible solutions.

They decided to utilize a popular method of spreading a message by standing in public places and holding signs in the hope of encouraging more positive relations. The end result of the effort was a video called “Why I Wear the Badge.” The officers in the two-minute tribute were all in uniform and told various stories through their signs.

One said he was robbed and shot as a young man, and that is why he decided to become an officer and serve his community. Another survived being violently attacked. A female officer said each day when she leaves her home, she kisses her children goodbye because she does not know if she will come home that night.

A male officer showed his bloodied face after an altercation, and his partner told of saving a suicidal woman on a bridge.

The officers want everyone to know that the police are putting their lives on the line each day to protect their communities. They are human beings with families, children, hopes and dreams, and they just want to do their jobs the best way they can.