What does the “Thin Blue Line” Mean? EOW: January, 2020 Report

We update this post each month with EOW information from the month before as a reminder and tribute to those who commit their lives to something greater than oneself — our communities.

Let’s keep them and their families in our prayers.

END OF WATCH: 18 Law Enforcement Patriots in the month of December, 2019

• Sergeant Joshua Eli Voth
  Colorado Department of Corrections, CO
  EOW: Wednesday, December 4, 2019
  Cause: Explosion
• Agent Billy Fred Clardy, III
  Huntsville Police Department, AL
  EOW: Friday, December 6, 2019
  Cause: Gunfire
• Deputy Chief Vincent A. DeMarino
  New York City Police Department, NY
  EOW: Friday, December 6, 2019
  Cause: 9/11 related illness
• Police Officer Stephen Paul Carr
  Fayetteville Police Department, AR
  EOW: Saturday, December 7, 2019
  Cause: Gunfire
• Sergeant Christopher Charles Lewis Brewster
  Houston Police Department, TX
  EOW: Saturday, December 7, 2019
  Cause: Gunfire
• Detective Joseph Seals
  Jersey City Police Department, NJ
  EOW: Tuesday, December 10, 2019
  Cause: Gunfire
• Sergeant Kaila Marie Sullivan
  Nassau Bay Police Department, TX
  EOW: Tuesday, December 10, 2019
  Cause: Vehicular assault
• Constable Eula Ray “Raye” Hawkins
  Panola County Constable’s Office, MS
  EOW: Thursday, December 12, 2019
  Cause: Vehicle pursuit
• Chief Deputy Bobby Wayne Jacobs
  Knott County Sheriff’s Office, KY
  EOW: Monday, December 16, 2019
  Cause: Heart attack
• Private First Class Michael Shawn Latu
  Marion County Sheriff’s Office, SC
  EOW: Tuesday, December 17, 2019
  Cause: Automobile crash
• Sergeant Anthony Oglesby, Jr.
  United States Department of Defense – Naval District Washington Police Department, US
  EOW: Wednesday, December 18, 2019
  Cause: Automobile crash
• Sergeant Scott Johnston
  New York City Police Department, NY
  EOW: Thursday, December 19, 2019
  Cause: 9/11 related illness
• Police Officer Jose Humberto Meza
  Burnet Police Department, TX
  EOW: Friday, December 20, 2019
  Cause: Heart attack
• Detective Clifton Martinez
  San Antonio Independent School District Police Department, TX
  EOW: Saturday, December 21, 2019
  Cause: Vehicular assault
• Deputy Sheriff Bryan Charles Pfluger
  San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office, TX
  EOW: Saturday, December 21, 2019
  Cause: Automobile crash
• Deputy Sheriff Cooper Dyson
  Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, WA
  EOW: Saturday, December 21, 2019
  Cause: Automobile crash
• Master Patrol Officer Spencer Bristol
  Hendersonville Police Department, TN
  EOW: Monday, December 30, 2019
  Cause: Struck by vehicle
• Deputy Sheriff Chris Dickerson
  Panola County Sheriff’s Office, TX
  EOW: Tuesday, December 31, 2019
  Cause: Gunfire

END OF WATCH: 3 K9s in the month of December, 2019

• K9 Bulder
  United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – United States Border Patrol, US
  EOW: Tuesday, December 17, 2019
  Cause: Gunfire
• K9 Jackie
  United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – United States Border Patrol, US
  EOW: Sunday, December 29, 2019
  Cause: Automobile crash
• K9 Niki
  Boyle County Sheriff’s Office, KY
  EOW: Tuesday, December 31, 2019
  Cause: Automobile crash

Visit the Officer Down Memorial Page

MY ARTICLE: Profile in Courage:
Military and Law Enforcement K9s

What is the History of The Thin Blue Line?

Law Enforcement or LEOs as we fondly refer to our community heroes have been in the news quite a bit as of late. What I found most disturbing is the lack of understanding in regard to what these guys and gals do to protect our communities.

If you listened to the LSM (lame-stream media) you would think all law enforcement was similar to the Nazi Gestapo. And the low information “citizens” jump on the bandwagon… Wonder how these folks would react if they called 911 and no one responded?

The Thin Blue Line Symbol

The Thin Blue Line is a symbol used by law enforcement in the United States and Canada to commemorate fallen officers and to symbolize the relationship of the police in the community as the protectors of the citizenry from the criminal element.

Each stripe on the emblem represents certain respective figures: the blue center line represents law enforcement, the top black stripe represents the public whilst the bottom represents the criminals. The idea behind the graphic is that law enforcement (the blue line) is what stands between the violence and victimization by criminals of the would-be victims of crime. ~ Wikipedia

Some facts from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (Stop by and make a donation.):

• There are more than 900,000 sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States, which is the highest figure ever. About 12 percent of those are female.
• Crime fighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death in 1786, there have been over 21,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
• Currently, there are 21,910 names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
• A total of 1,582 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 55 hours or 158 per year. There were 158 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2018.

According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report 2017 LEOKA report:

• There have been 60,211 assaults against law enforcement officers in 2017, resulting in 17,476 injuries.
• The 1920s were the deadliest decade in law enforcement history, when a total of 2,480 officers died, or an average of almost 248 each year. The deadliest year in law enforcement history was 1930, when 310 officers were killed. That figure dropped dramatically in the 1990s, to an average of 162 per year.
• The deadliest day in law enforcement history was September 11, 2001, when 72 officers were killed while responding to the terrorist attacks on America.
• New York City Police Department has lost more officers in the line of duty than any other department, with 899 deaths. Texas has lost 1,751 officers, more than any other state. The state with the fewest deaths is Vermont, with 24.
• There are 1,166 federal officers listed on the Memorial, as well as 713 correctional officers and 43 military law enforcement officers.
• There are 348 female officers listed on the Memorial; eleven female officers were killed in 2018.

We have been trusted with the honor of making many a Thin Blue Line bracelet in memorial to fallen officers (you can view some of these patriots on our Wall of Heroes).

There are bad eggs in any industry, field or occupation. To besmirch the reputation of all LEOs, which has been commonplace as of late, to whip up a frenzy, with false narratives to create a straw man purely for political gain is something certain “leaders” should be ashamed of and be taken to task for. This type of behavior from those whose character should be above groundless accusations and inflammatory statements should not be tolerated by We The People. We deserve better than that.

Just as with our brave Military personnel, next time you see a Law Enforcement Officer, thank them. Let them know you appreciate that they are on call for your community knowing that they are potentially putting their lives at risk each day they that they put on their uniform, with every phone call and traffic stop.

Please share this post so that their heroism is not forgotten… Thank you.

We have an incredible warrior class in this country – people in law enforcement, intelligence – and I thank God every night we have them standing fast to protect us from the tremendous amount of evil that exists in the world. ~ Brad Thor

At *your* service,