Protecting the Palm Beaches for July 13th

Protecting the Palm Beaches for July 13th                    

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                        

• 79 officers have fallen in 2018                   

• 7 of the officers we've lost served in Florida                                     

We lost another three officers over the past week. In New York police officer Richard Lopez died of cancer attributed to his response and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center on 9/11. He served for 20 years with the NYPD and was a US Marine prior to joining the NYPD. He's survived by a wife and daughter. In Indonesia, ICE Special Agent Jeremy Ensley died due to Dengue fever while on assignment. He's survived by a wife and four children. In Ohio officer Vu Nguyen died during a K-9 training exercise. He left behind a wife and two children.  

Too often there are untold stories of the people who've sacrificed their lives in service of their communities. This is our small part to attempt to recognize those who've sacrificed the most for our safety. The average age of the officers at the time of their death was 40. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 12 years and three 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, and their families, know we support them every chance you get. They need it, now more than ever, just as we need them more than ever.