We update this post each month as a reminder and tribute to those who commit their lives to something bigger than oneself — our communities.
Remembering Law Enforcement Officers who lost their lives last month.
Please share so their heroism is not forgotten… Thank you.
10 Law Enforcement Patriots lost their lives
in the month of April, 2017
- Assistant Chief Deputy Clinton Greenwood
Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct 3, TX
EOW: Monday, April 3, 2017
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Master Sergeant Carl T. Cosper
Barry County Sheriff’s Office, MO
EOW: Friday, April 7, 2017
Cause of Death: Automobile crash - Deputy Sheriff Levi Pettway
Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, AL
EOW: Monday, April 10, 2017
Cause of Death: Automobile crash - Trooper Anthony J. Borostowski
Wisconsin State Patrol, WI
EOW: Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Cause of Death: Automobile crash - Master Police Officer Jason G. Harris
Spartanburg Police Department, SC
EOW: Thursday, April 13, 2017
Cause of Death: Motorcycle crash - Deputy Sheriff David Wade
Logan County Sheriff’s Office, OK
EOW: Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Agent Benjamín De los Santos-Barbosa
Puerto Rico Police Department, PR
EOW: Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Corporal Stephen J. Ballard
Delaware State Police, DE
EOW: Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Sergeant Meggan Lee Callahan
North Carolina Department of Public Safety – Division of Prisons, NC
EOW: Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Cause of Death: Assault - Deputy Sheriff Justin L. Beard
Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, LA
EOW: Sunday, April 30, 2017
Cause of Death: Automobile crash
Visit the Officer Down Memorial Page
Two K9s lost their life in the month of April, 2017
- K9 Doki
Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, SC
EOW: Thursday, April 20, 2017
Cause of Death: Heat exhaustion - K9 Kyro
Houston County Sheriff’s Office, GA
EOW: Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Accidental)
Read 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:
- 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.
- According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, an estimated 1,165,383 violent crimes occurred nationwide in 2014, a decrease of 0.2 percent from the 2013 estimate.
- Crime fighting has taken its toll. Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over 20,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Currently, there are 20,789 names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
- A total of 1,439 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 61 hours or 144 per year. There were 123 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2015.
- There have been 15,725 assaults against law enforcement officers in 2014, resulting in 13,824 injuries.
- The 1920s were the deadliest decade in law enforcement history, when a total of 2,437 officers died, or an average of almost 243 each year. The deadliest year in law enforcement history was 1930, when 304 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 has lost more officers in the line of duty than any other department, with 705 deaths. Texas has lost 1,682 officers, more than any other state. The state with the fewest deaths is Vermont, with 23.
- There are 1,102 federal officers listed on the Memorial, as well as 668 correctional officers and 36 military law enforcement officers.
- There are 292 female officers listed on the Memorial; eleven female officers were killed in 2015.
- During the past ten years, more incidents that resulted in felonious fatalities occurred on Friday than any other day of the week. The fewest number of felonious incidents occurred on Tuesday.
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.
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,
