It was a time of remembrance, celebration and a 21-gun salute when the National Law Enforcement Memorial Service was held at the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday.
The program included “Lest We Forget,” when 24 red roses were placed in a wreath – one for each area law enforcement officer who lost their life while serving in the line of duty – the first in 1876.
“By a Presidential Proclamation signed in 1962, President John F. Kennedy set aside every May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day, as well as the week it falls on as National Police Week,” said Mike Dunavant, U.S. District Attorney General Western District, Tennessee, “So, this week presents, not only a time to say a silent thank you to the names of new officers being added to the national memorial in Washington, D.C., but also an opportune time to recognize the brave men and women who currently serve and protect us as federal, state and local law enforcement officers.”
Dunavant, who served as the guest speaker, presented some very sobering figures about officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
“On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 58 hours,” Dunavant said. “Since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791, more than 21,000 U.S. law enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Dunavant said 1,511 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in the past decade.
“A total of 129 federal, state and local law enforcement officers died in the line of duty in 2017,” Dunavant said. “Already this year, since January 1, there have been 53 officer fatalities, which is a four percent increase from this time last year.
“The mission is to protect and to serve, and for everyone involved, in that mission, there is always the potential that protecting and serving can lead to the ultimate sacrifice.”
For John Mehr, Madison County Sheriff, the day was somber, but special.
“It’s been a great occasion, remembering the officers and taking time to reflect over the years,” said John Mehr, Madison County Sheriff. “For me, there were three I had just talked to or I was with right before they were killed … Chief (Richard) Carrington from Lexington, I had talked to him the night before, Lloyd Johnson, a deputy from Crockett County in Bells, and of course, Madison County deputy Rosemary Vela.
“I remember those dates, and I remember those times, and I’m sure like everyone else here, this was a moving experience.”
Dunavant said the Tennessee Supreme Court defined the duty of a police officer as someone who is to preserve order, protect the lives and property of citizens and enforce the laws of the Nation, State, county or municipality.
“But their actual day-to-day duties go way beyond these fundamental ones,” Dunavant said. “After all, a high degree of professional conduct is expected of our law enforcement officers. We expect them to have the compassion of a preacher, bravery of a soldier, reflexes of a cat, accuracy of an accountant, political correctness of a congressman, tolerance and patience of a teacher, articulation of a lawyer, knowledge of a professor, and the impartiality of a judge.”
Dunavant called officers “society’s problem solvers,” when no other solution is apparent or available, when they quell disputes between husband and wife, parent and child, landlord and tenant, merchant and patron – and quarreling neighbors.
“Although they search for clues to solve crime, they also search for missing children, parents, dementia patients, and occasionally even an escaped zoo animal,” Dunavant said. “Yes we expect law enforcement officers to do all these things, all at once, and while earning a paycheck that is equal to only a fraction of their true worth as public servants.
“And, we expect them not to die in the line of duty, but tragically, they do, and we come to this service (Tuesday) to honor the memory of those who gave their lives to keep us safe.”
(PHOTO: John Mehr, Madison County Sheriff and Mike Dunavant, U.S. District Attorney General Western District, Tennessee
David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
https://www.facebook.com/NewsTalk1015
