This weekly feature is designed to recognize those who've paid the ultimate price to serve their communities and to serve as a reminder of what our police risk to keep us safe. We highlight a remarkable effort by local law enforcement each week. Joel Malkin brings you the perspective in local news from leaders in local law enforcement.
I bring you the unfortunate news you need to know:
128 police officers died in the line of duty in 2017
18 officers have been lost in 2018
This week has been one of the deadliest of the past year. We lost six officers this week. An officer in Texas was killed responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex. He left behind a wife and two children. In Georgia an officer was murdered while executing an arrest warrant. He is survived by a pregnant wife and two children. Two officers were murdered responding to a false 9-1-1 call. One officer left behind a wife and two children – the other a wife and four daughters. A Chicago PD commander was murdered attempting to arrest a suspect on the run leaving behind a wife and a child. And in Michigan an officer died during a training exercise. He was a veteran in addition to a police officer and left behind a wife and child.
That's six widows and 13 children without a father.
These are often untold stories of the people who've sacrificed their lives in service of the communities they served. The average age of the officers at the time of their death was 39. The average length of time they'd served at the time of their passing is 12 years and 9 months.
Remember to back the badge and spread the word. The media often aren't there for our law enforcement, but we can be. Let our police know we support them every chance you get. They need it, now more than ever, just as we need them more than ever.