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 in service and to serve as a reminder of what our police risk to keep us safe. Here are the harsh realities regarding the rise risk in society for law enforcement.
- There were 229 line-of-duty deaths in 2022 including 10 in Florida
- We’ve lost 78 heroes in the line-of-duty this year including 3 in Florida
While LODs thankfully dropped from 2021’s record levels last year, that was mostly due to few COVID-related deaths. Sadly, LODs were 40% higher than 2019 – the most recent pre-COVID year – illustrating the continued risk for law enforcement amid a rise in violence against law enforcement. We’ve lost these heroes since the previous update:
- In New York, DHS Special Agent Robert Castioni, Jr. died of cancer attributed to his work as a first responder at Ground Zero on 9/11. He’s survived by a wife and three children.
- In Nevada, Officer Anthony Francone (pictured) was murdered when he was intentionally struck by a suspect during a vehicle chase. The suspect was shot and killed by other responding officers. Anthony is survived by three children.
- In Georgia, Sheriff Robert Rodgers was killed in an auto accident while responding to an emergency call.
As we reflect on those we’ve lost, please remember the families of our fallen as well. The average age is 41, the average tour-of-duty – 13 years. In addition to losing 78 law enforcement professionals in the line-of-duty this year, there are 40 widows and 105 children who’ve lost a parent.
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 more than ever, just as we need them more than ever.