Candles in the Park

The afternoon of May 14, the sky poured torrents of rain. As I finished making preparations for the "Fix the Scioto County Problem of Drug Abuse" group's candlelight commemoration of National Law Enforcement Officers Week scheduled for 9:00 P.M. that evening, I began to worry about the continuance of the wet weather and its effect on attendance. After all, we had organized this event in just one week after I had discovered the close date of the National observance. With about 100 confirmed guests and a promising weather report from WLW radio in Cincinnati, I drove to pick up the candles.

I thought about many things as the rain fell: a relatively small turnout of 3,300 members of our Facebook group, a hastened delivery of public information, the soggy and wet park and the possibility, of course, of a rainout. I refused to dwell on the negatives, and, instead, asked the Man upstairs to be with our group this day. Soon, the rain stopped and the heat began drying the sidewalk. Things began to look promising for our dedicated team of activists to honor our enforcement personnel.

Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner, Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini, and Ohio State Patrol Sergeant John Howard were to address the citizens and pay their tributes to local and state peace officers. These men lead units that fearlessly protect the people of Scioto County. Law enforcement not only demands our respect for risking great danger but also deserves our loyal recognition for their superior achievement. I hoped we wouldn't let the units down in their solemn tribute.

I only hoped the citizenry of this depressed, often misinformed area would rally to understand the unbelievable pressures and problems faced by officers of the peace. In fact, I believe part of our duty as concerned citizens is to be vigilant as well as patient considering the limited resources Scioto enforcement has to combat crime. That problem drains our meager forces along with the demands of dealing with governmental issues that take valuable time from the acts of apprehending and restraining criminals.

9:00 P.M. arrived and a fairly small crowd attended a dry program in Tracy Park. As the Portsmouth Police presented the Colors, Chaplain Dennis Dawes prayed for the officers, Horner and Donini and Howard gave remarks and read the roll of those killed in action, and Portsmouth High School Band Director Shawn Grehm played "Taps," we shared a flame ignited by the law enforcement branches of our area.

I considered for some time that evening if I could be a law enforcement officer. The answer to my own question was a sobering "No." In fact, almost everything about the job requires much more fortitude and patience than I possess. Then, I considered how good officers looked to me the few times when I needed them on the scene. Soon, it became incomprehensible to me how anyone could criticize the need for these special, talented people.

Maybe Tracy Park wasn't ablaze with hundreds of beacons of candlelight on May 14, but I felt a warm connection with all of the public servants of law enforcement as I held my candle. I knew that the "Good Guys" represented
something we all must embrace with our best efforts and our best understandings. Chief Horner, Sheriff Donini, and Sergeant Howard, thank you for allowing us to express our thanks to you. We recognize your tremendous efforts and undeniable courage. And, we pledge to work with you to fulfill our duties of public citizenry.

"Goodbye My Friend"

 

I must say goodbye

To my friend today,

Somehow I must turn around,

And walk away,

The heart knows

What it must do,

But how can I say goodbye,

To my brother in blue.

 

Alone now

I must make my own way,

Walk a lonely beat

With the coming day,

But my broken heart

Just wants to stay,

Lord, please give me the strength

To just walk away…

2005 by Lydia Warner Miller

National Law Enforcement Officers Week

Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week are observances in the United States that pay tribute to local, state, and federal peace officers. The Memorial Day takes place on May 15, and Police Week is the calendar week in which the Memorial falls. This year, 2010, the observance will be May 9-15.

The holiday was created on 1 October, 1961, when Congress asked the President to designate 15 May to honor peace officers. John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on October 1, 1962. According to a proclamation by George W. Bush in 2002, the following was established:

"Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week pay tribute to the local, State, and Federal law enforcement officers who serve and protect us with courage and dedication. These observances also remind us of the ongoing need to be vigilant against all forms of crime, especially to acts of extreme violence and terrorism."

 
Much of the holiday centers on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial wall in Washington, D.C., whose walls feature the names of the more than 17,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

According to Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS), about 140-160 officers are killed in the line of duty each year and their families and co-workers are left to cope with the tragic loss.

On May 15, 2010, many businesses and community members across the nation, especially those who lost family members, friends or colleagues who were local officers, will lower their flags in remembrance of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Some police departments hold an annual law enforcement memorial ceremony on this day.

Each year, C.O.P.S. organizes a national memorial service on the day, drawing thousands of people from many parts of the United States. The service is followed by the placement of a memorial wreath at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington DC. On this day, people are also reminded of the need to be especially aware and watchful of all forms of crime in their daily lives.

This is part of President Obama's Official Proclamation for 2010:

"As a Nation, we rely on law enforcement officers to keep our neighborhoods safe, enforce our laws, and respond in times of crisis.  These men and women sustain peace and order across America, and we look to them as models of courage and integrity.  This week, we honor their extraordinary service and sacrifice, and we remember the fallen heroes whose selfless acts have left behind safer streets and stronger communities.

 "Every day, peace officers face the threat of violence and danger.  They routinely put their lives on the line to defend ours, and the price of that bravery may result in injury, disability, or death.  The steadfast dedication of our country's law enforcement officers warrants more than praise.  That is why my Administration has provided billions of dollars in grants to support State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.  These funds are giving peace officers the tools and resources they need to help ensure our safety."  - President Barack Obama


Groundbreaking National Law Enforcement Museum

This year is also very special for the national memorial. It marks the groundbreaking for a world-class experiential museum with high-tech interactive exhibitions that will include a vast collection of law enforcement artifacts and dedicated spaces for research and education. With strong backing from America’s law enforcement, corporate and philanthropic communities, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has announced October 14, 2010, as the date it will break ground on the first-ever National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, DC.

The Museum will be built on Federal land across the street from the existing National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in historic Judiciary Square, the symbolic seat of the nation’s criminal justice system. A gala celebration is planned for that evening at the National Building Museum. The National Law Enforcement Museum is scheduled to open in late 2013. 

Just a couple of unique visitor experiences in the museum will range from assuming the role of a police dispatcher in the Motorola 911 Emergency Call Center; to making split-second, life-or-death decisions posed by the use-of-force judgment simulator; to solving crimes in the Museum’s Target Forensics Lab.  

Great Resources for Site Exploration 

The National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund is a very informative site for those interesting in exploring more about respect, honor, and dedication to law enforcement. Here, also, is plentiful information about the new museum. http://www.nleomf.org/


Here is a group known as Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.). Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families and affected co-workers of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty as determined by Federal criteria.  Furthermore, C.O.P.S. provides training to law enforcement agencies on survivor victimization issues and educates the public of the need to support the law enforcement profession and its survivors.The web site is http://www.nationalcops.org/

The Officer Down Memorial Page http://www.odmp.org/ offers many valuable resources and a search for those officers lost in action. It is a sobering reminder that, too often, we take the tremendous sacrifices of our law enforcement personnel for granted. Their job is never done and their selfless acts demand our utmost respect.

We should all take time this week and offer prayers and concerns for those law enforcement public servants who protect us all. God bless their tireless efforts, ladies and gentlemen, and pray they continue to be safe. Their job is often thankless and always stressful. Thank you very much for a job well done.


Law Enforcement Officer Fatalities
as of May 10

	2010	2009	% Change
Total Fatalities	60	43	+40%
Gunfire	23	15	+53%
Traffic Incidents	27	25	+8%
Other Causes	10	3	+233%

2010 Fatalities - Top States

California	5	Illinois	2
Texas	5	Maryland	2
Ohio	4	Michigan	2
Louisiana	4	Missouri	2
Georgia	3	New Jersey	2
South Carolina	3	Utah	2
Tennessee	3	Washington	2
Florida	2	Twelve States	1

Federal Agencies: 2
U.S. Territories: 3