Protecting the Palm Beaches – a tribute to those who serve and sacrifice
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
- 107 officers have fallen in 2018
- 9 of the officers we've lost served in Florida (most of any state in the country)
We’ve had two extremely deadly weeks for law enforcement back to back and with six officers having fallen over the past week alone – we've already had four more officers fall during September than in August. In California officer Oscar Reyes died of a heart attack following a training and skills competition to raise money for his community. He’s survived by a wife and three children. Also, in California, corrections officer Armando Gallegos was murdered by 12 inmates. They attacked him during an inspection, beating him to death. In Texas officer Garrett Hull was murdered while attempting to detain three-armed robbery suspects. He’s survived by a wife and two children. In Georgia police chief Frank McClelland was murdered when he was deliberately hit by a motorist during a high-speed chase. In Kansas, deputy Robert Kunze was murdered while investing a suspicious person call. He left behind a wife and a child. In California, deputy Mark Stasyuk was murdered as he responded to a 911 call.
Six fallen officers, five murdered, three additional widows and four more children who lost their father.
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 41. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 12 years and two months.
Remember to back the badge and spread the word. 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.