Honoring Those Who Protect and Serve

May 11, 2007

COLUMBUS, OH – Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) today submitted the following editorial:

No city in our United States is more abundant in meaningful patriotic symbols and landmarks than our nation’s capital of Washington, DC. And within Washington, the National Mall serves as the epicenter of our symbolic past –1000 acres of inspirational testaments to our nation’s most revered Founding Fathers, Presidents, war heroes, and statesmen. Any typical visitor to the Mall includes in their must-see walking tour itinerary the breathtaking and thought-provoking memorials —World War II, Korea, and Viet Nam -- erected in honor of those whose lives were lost on foreign soils to keep our people free.

But just off the Mall rests a lesser known memorial dedicated to the more than 17,500 men and women who also made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation-- not on remote corners of the Earth, but rather on the streets of cities and towns all across America. It is the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, and for the past 16 year, it has served as a stirring tribute to the federal, state, and local peace officers who have died in the line of duty.

Like the Viet Nam Memorial, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial bears the name of every peace officer killed on duty inscribed on a wall, and is complemented by a three acre park and reflecting pool. Already awe-inspiring, the Memorial will soon become an even greater tribute to our fallen officers. In 2000, Congress approved legislation authorizing the construction of a National Law Enforcement Museum across from the Memorial. Upon its completion in 2011, it will become the largest and most comprehensive law enforcement museum on Earth, where visitors will experience a high-tech, interactive voyage through the history of American law enforcement.

Each year, May 15th is recognized as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and May 13th -19th as National Police Week – an opportunity to pay tribute to America’s fallen peace officers, and to offer our gratitude to the 800,000 men and women who serve in law enforcement nationwide. It should also be known to all government agencies, businesses, and private citizens across America that all United States flags are to be flown at half-staff on this coming Tuesday in observance.

The memorials and museums are important in that they honor the dead and raise national awareness about the dangers inherent in the job of law enforcement. But they cannot possibly or adequately convey to the visitor the unfathomable dangers law enforcement officers in urban areas, suburbs, and small towns across our country face each and every day in the course of simply doing their jobs. Every seemingly mundane or routine task performed by an officer can put him or her in harm’s way, and has the potential to result in unspeakable tragedy.

While preliminary reports suggest that violent crime increased in 2006, thankfully, the number of officers killed in the line of duty dropped 8%, from 157 to 145 – its lowest total since 1999. But news of this trend does little to assuage the grief surrounding each of these 145 deaths last year – every one of them leaves in its wake countless grieving families, bereft fellow officers, and devastated communities. Ohio shouldered its share of sorrow in 2006, losing five law enforcement officers: two Ohio Highway Patrolmen, a policeman from Cleveland, and Deputy Sheriffs from Fairfield and Ross Counties.

Next week, I encourage you to reflect upon the impossibly brave men and women of law enforcement who took the oath to protect and serve us, and thank them for succeeding in both regards. And if ever in Washington, please visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, and pay tribute to the 17,917 fallen peace officers -- all of whom brought great honor to our nation.

Back to Deborah's Views 2007