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 39 heroes in the line-of-duty this year including 1 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 Oregon, Corporal Joseph Johnson was murdered while responding to an emergency call of a violent man who was threatening homeowners. Upon arriving at the scene, Joseph was fired upon by the suspect. The suspect was detained two days later. Joseph is survived by a wife and two children.
- In Illinois, Officer Areanah Preston was murdered while attempting to stop a robbery in progress. She was fired upon by multiple suspects. Five suspects, including a juvenile, were detained the following day.
- In Wisconsin, Deputy Kaitie Leising was murdered while investigating a drunk driving crash. The driver responsible for the crash fired upon Kaitie when she attempted a field sobriety test. The suspect then turned the gun on himself when other responding officers were in pursuit.
- In New Jersey, Officer Robert Shisler was murdered while in pursuit of a robbery suspect. While in pursuit, the suspect fired upon Robert who returned fire killing the suspect.
- In Tennessee, Detective Jacob Beu was killed in a crash while on patrol. Jacob was a Marine Corps veteran.
As we reflect on those we’ve lost, please remember the families of our fallen as well. The average age is 40, the average tour-of-duty – 12 years. In addition to losing 39 law enforcement professionals in the line-of-duty this year, there are 20 widows and 53 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.