Draft:Matthew Zalewski
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Matthew Zalewski | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1985 Wayne, Michigan, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Photographer, Graphic Designer, Police Officer, Army Veteran |
| Known for | Creator of the "Distressed Thin Blue Line" flag design |
| Police career | |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Awards | Star of Texas, Law Enforcement Purple Heart, Medal of Valor, Expert Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals |
Matthew Zalewski (born 1985) is an American photographer, graphic designer, former U.S. Army infantryman, and retired law enforcement officer. He is recognized for creating one of the most widely circulated versions of the "Distressed Thin Blue Line" American flag. Zalewski has also been noted for his wildlife, photojournalism and law enforcement photography, and was awarded the Star of Texas following a line-of-duty shooting where he was wounded in 2019.
Early life
[edit]Zalewski was born in 1985 in Wayne, Michigan and grew up later in Waterford, Michigan. In his early years, he briefly engaged in the AOL community as a programmer and web designer under the alias Mrkoww.[1]
Military Service
[edit]Zalewski enlisted in the United States Army and deployed to Iraq in 2005–2006.[2] After returning stateside, Zalewski was assigned to Kilo Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin. In 2011, he earned the Expert Infantryman Badge[3]. Zalewski later went on to serve in Afghanistan.
Law enforcement career
[edit]Following his Army service, Zalewski became a police officer in Texas.[4] In 2019, he was critically wounded during a traffic stop and later awarded the Star of Texas by the Governor of Texas for bravery and sacrifice in the line of duty.[5][6][7]
He was also awarded the Law Enforcement Purple Heart and the Medal of Valor for his courageous actions during the incident.[8]
Destressed Thin Blue Line Image
[edit]Zalewski is widely credited with designing the digital version of the Distressed Thin Blue Line flag that gained popularity in the 2010s. His artwork features a black-and-white American flag with a single blue stripe and is often used to memorialize fallen police officers, and the struggles they go through during their service. The distress, cracks and bullet holes reflect the danger of the job.[9] The image, distributed under his copyright via his website,[10] has been reproduced extensively on apparel, vehicle decals, and ceremonial flags.[11]
Podcasting
[edit]Zalewski has appeared on several podcasts related to law enforcement and police training, including the StreetCop Training podcast [12][13] and A Badge of Honor [14]. Zalewski discusses how he teaches and trains many law enforcement officers and agencies about dealing with critical incidents, handling the stress and problems after critical incidents.
Photography
[edit]Under the aliases "Mrkoww" and "Matticus", Zalewski has been an active photographer since the mid-2000s. His public domain wildlife and urban photography has been widely reused and circulated by major online media sites.[15][16][17][18][19]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Mrkoww Tools and Disclaimers". 10 October 2017. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Soldiers in Iraq keep in touch with home on MySpace". 24 July 2006.
- ^ "EIB Candidates Tough It Out". DVIDS. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Seagraves burglary suspect now in custody". 2 February 2017.
- ^ "Star of Texas Awards". Office of the Governor, Texas. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Instagram".
- ^ "Two Concho Valley officers posthumously honored with Star of Texas Award". 11 September 2023.
- ^ Horton, Marilou D (September 9, 2020). "A Purple Heart and a New Start". Seminole Sentinel. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020.
- ^ "The Thin Blue Line and More: A Message from ISRA's Executive Director". Ammoland. 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Thin Blue Line". Matticus. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "Open Carry Texas Statement Following the Dallas Shooting". 5 August 2016.
- ^ "Every Podcast Conversation at Your Fingertips".
- ^ "Surviving the Line of Duty feat. Matt Zalewski by Street Cop Podcast".
- ^ "Recovery, Resilience and a No Quit Attitude with Matt Zalewski". YouTube. 6 October 2021.
- ^ "500px". Archived from the original on 3 January 2014.
- ^ "Seattle cops say city 'playing politics' with their lives". 29 August 2014.
- ^ "Seattle Police Officer Fired over 'Extremely Profane' Instagram Posts Attacking Obama and Clinton". The Daily Beast. 17 January 2020.
- ^ "Seattle cop who stomped on handcuffed man's head cleared of wrongdoing". RT International.
- ^ "Inside the Controversial Trafficking Sting that Seized a Seattle Sex Worker Site". 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 26 December 2021.