Protecting the Palm Beaches for March 23rd
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
32 officers have been lost in 2018
We've unfortunately lost an additional six officers since my previous update two weeks ago.
An officer was murdered in California while attempting to detain a suspect. He left behind a wife and two children. In North Carolina an officer crashed and died while in pursuit of a vehicle/driver on the run. He's survived by a fiancé and a daughter. In Louisiana an officer was murdered while attempting to serve an arrest warrant. In Kentucky an officer was murdered while he was on patrol. He's survived by a wife and a child. In California an officer died in a crash while responding to a 911 call. In Puerto Rico an off-duty officer stepped in to defend a business owner who was being assaulted. When he ID'd himself as an officer, he was murdered by the attackers. He's survived by two children.
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 37. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 10 years and 3 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.