Protecting the Palm Beaches for June 1st
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
65 officers have fallen in 2018
6 of the officers we've lost served in Florida
It's been another deadly week for law enforcement as we've lost another five officers. In New York City, Detective William Allee – an investigator on 9-11, succumbed to a terminal illness resulting from contaminates inhaled during his investigation. In Texas ATF Special Agent Paul Scott Ragsdale died during a training exercise. He's survived by a wife and two children. In Georgia officer Anthony Christie was assisting an accident scene when he was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer. He was also a Navy Veteran he left behind a wife. Also, in Georgia, FBI Special Agent David LeValley died of cancer that was the result of his work responding to the 9-11 terror attack in New York City. In Tennessee Sergeant Daniel Baker was murdered when he responded to a call about suspicious activity. Daniel was a Marine Veteran and is survived by a wife and 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 39. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 11 years and 8 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.