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.
- 132 line of duty deaths in 2019
- Murder was the top cause of death for the second consecutive year
- 87 LOD’s in 2020, including 4 in Florida
We created this series several years ago in an effort to create awareness about the risk and regular sacrifices made by law enforcement. With the rise of organizations like Black Lives Matter and protests led by individuals like Colin Kaepernick, violence against police officers rose. I’m concerned we’re in an especially dangerous moment due to the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. My father had a saying about police. There are few people worse than a bad cop but few better than a good cop and thankfully most are good cops. Everyday over 200,000 “good cops” go to work doing often heroic things which go unnoticed. It’s important not to view all law enforcement through the prism of what we’ve seen in the Minneapolis video.
This week, in Louisiana, we lost Trooper George Baker (pictured) who was struck by a vehicle while removing stop sticks during a high-speed chase. A Marine veteran he’s survived by a wife and daughter.
As we reflect on those we’ve lost, please remember the families of our fallen as well. In addition to losing 87 law enforcement professionals in the line of duty this year, there are 43 widows and 98 children who’ve lost a parent.
- The average age of the fallen, 45. The average tour of duty, 15 years.
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.