Thanking those who keep our communities safe
Each and every day, the men and women serving in Maine law enforcement go about their important jobs with little fanfare. They quietly protect our communities, not just because it’s their responsibility, but because these are their communities too. And while it’s easy to take for granted what they do, we must remember the sacrifices and the risk they face every day, and above all, we should take time to thank them for all that they do.
That’s really what National Police Week is all about. President Kennedy and Congress first started the tradition in 1962, declaring the week of May 15th as a time to pay tribute to all law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. This annual recognition has expanded to honor all of the brave men and women who risk their lives every day to protect us.
On Tuesday, May 17, 2016, the Senate passed a resolution commemorating National Police Week and recognizing the immeasurable contributions that local law enforcement makes to own communities. Having seen the positive impact that our officers, sheriffs, troopers, and wardens have across the state, I was proud to cosponsor that resolution and happy to see it pass with unanimous support.
Earlier this spring, I joined with law enforcement officials from around the state to discuss ongoing efforts to fight terrorism and protect us here at home. Those meetings underscored what I already knew — that Maine officials are working tirelessly to keep us safe.
Maine law enforcement officials are also on the frontlines of another battle: the struggle against heroin and opioid addiction. As we work towards a compressive set of solutions to this devastating problem, we must lean on the experience and expertise of our law enforcement community.
For instance, at a discussion at the Paris Town Hall with people whose families have been affected by the addiction epidemic, one of the many heartbreaking stories came from a local sheriff’s deputy who lost his daughter to a drug overdose. This is a tragic example of just how close to home the issue hits for some members of our law enforcement communities. They’ve lived this crisis, whether they’ve been touched by it in their personal lives or dealt with it in the line of duty, and they are a critical part of the remedy.
Many of you may be familiar with the Facebook Page of the Bangor Police Department. While it is full of both funny and touching stories about life in Maine, the Department’s page also featured a very profound post about Police Week. That post pointed out that police officers, like the rest of us, are human and are overwhelmingly driven by a desire to help their neighbors and protect the cities, towns, counties, state, and country that they serve. That’s a thought worth remembering as we celebrate National Police Week.
