Protecting the Palm Beaches for March 9th

Bottom Line: This weekly feature is designed to recognize those who've paid the ultimate price to serve their communities and to serve as a reminder of what our police risk to keep us safe. We highlight a remarkable effort by local law enforcement each week. Joel Malkin brings you the perspective in local news from leaders in local law enforcement.

I bring you the unfortunate news you need to know:

128 police officers died in the line of duty in 2017
26 officers have been lost in 2018

This week we lost four officers while they were serving. This included an officer in North Carolina who crashed and died while in pursuit of another vehicle. He's survived by a four-year-old child. An officer in Kentucky was killed in a flood while attempting to surveil and secure the area. He left behind a wife and two children. In Indiana an officer was murdered in pursuit of a suspect. He's survived by a wife and two children. In Missouri, an officer was murdered while responding to a 911 call. The officer was also an Army veteran.

Too often there are untold stories of the people who've sacrificed their lives in service of their communities. The average age of the officers at the time of their death was 39. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 11 years and 4 months.

Remember to back the badge and spread the word. The media often aren't there for our law enforcement, but we can be. Let our police know we support them every chance you get. They need it, now more than ever, just as we need them more than ever.