SHOUT OUT: When your law enforcement officer husband or boyfriend has been under fire — not just from desperate criminals but from a politicians and the media — it’s comforting to bond with others in the same situation as you. And that’s what a group of wives and girlfriends of sworn officers in Bergen County are doing.
“The REAL Police Wives of Bergen County” have done more than trade war stories and enjoy a few precious moments of shared security.
They’re a “thriving sisterhood, [with]sharing commonalities, experiences, and matters that affect the everyday lives of police wives,” said Denielle McNiff, who launched the group two years ago.Image may be NSFW.
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“Although the life we choose is not an easy one, it is nice to know we are taking care of and are there for someone who is extremely dedicated to a cause,” she added. “Their job is not just a career but a calling and a symbol of who they are.”
Their significant others already could bond through unions, lodges and various fraternities and other organizations. So the police wives launched their own.
The common denominator is a sense of “normalcy” that is anything but and a way of life that, by necessity, must include missing — or canceling — children’s events, trying to get blood out of a uniform, and the anxiety of what a shift could bring.
The members of “REAL Police Wives…” have dedicated themselves to “building strong relationships through friendship, public awareness of police issues, and volunteer activities for our community,” McNiff said. “Through compassion, integrity, and service, we will be stewards of enhancing the quality of life within our local law enforcement family.”
McNiff repeated the group’s vow: “We promise to respect and learn from each other, serve as resources for support, and encourage positive communication by providing a safe forum that is confidential to group members.”
MORE INFO: Police Wives of Bergen County
OR contact McNiff: deniellemcniff@gmail.com
