Texas Lt. Governor Encourages You to Buy a Cop a Sandwich Sometime, OK?

Thank goodness Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is around to stand up for cops.

On Wednesday, Patrick issued a statement in response to last weekend’s deadly shooting of a Harris County officer in which he calls for a change in “this negative attitude toward those that protect us.” Or else, he fears, people won’t want to be cops anymore.

To do so, he suggests a few simple behavioral modifications, including:

Start calling our officers sir and ma;am all of the time. It’s a show of respect they deserve.

Every time you see an officer anywhere, let them know you appreciate their service to our community and you stand with them.

If you are financially able, when you see them in a restaurant on duty pick up their lunch check, send over a dessert, or simply stop by their table briefly and say thank you for their service.

It is worth pointing out that cops are paid with tax dollars, so technically everyone is always paying for a cop’s lunch.

Patrick has been vocal about his disapproval of anti-cop rhetoric. In a note posted on Facebook this weekend, he referred to criticism of the police as “verbal attacks” which lead to “deadly attacks on our officers.”

“Police officers are judged 24/7, 365 days a year for their entire career,” Patrick said in the recent statement. “One mistake can get them sued, fired or killed. I want to remind Texans and the rest of our country that these brave souls are the thin line between a country of law and order and a society of total lawlessness where no one is safe.”