WASHINGTON – As dawn broke over our country, we were left to witness the aftermath of a horrific tragedy. In a matter of hours, a peaceful protest in the streets of Dallas turned into one of the deadliest days in our nation’s law enforcement history.
Law enforcement officers were ambushed while protecting the First Amendment rights of their fellow citizens. Twelve officers were shot, five of whom lost their lives, in the deadliest day for law enforcement since 72 officers died on 9/11. The Dallas Police Department lost four officers, while the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Police Department lost one. Sadly, the State of Texas has already lost 10 officers this year so far, more than twice as many line of duty deaths as any other state in the country.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund honors law enforcement officers who die in the line of duty. So it is only natural that we, like all Americans, are deeply saddened about yesterday’s events. It is truly a dark day for law enforcement. However, much more troubling is the disturbing trend of officers being killed in ambush attacks, like the one in Dallas. Already this year, 11 officers have been killed in ambush attacks, and another 23 officers were gunned down similarly in 2014-2015.
These five officers who gave their lives last night are the same officers we see walking down our streets, helping our communities, and who we immediately call upon when we face danger. These are the officers who go without a thank you on a day-to-day basis.
Our country must do more to protect our law enforcement officers. While we cannot turn a blind eye to the recent events in Louisiana and Minneapolis, we must allow the justice system to run its course. We must also call upon the media, our elected officials, and our community leaders, along with every law-abiding citizen in this country, to come together in partnership to create communities where trust can be found among each other. This should be our collective solemn obligation as a way to honor the service and sacrifice of the five fallen law enforcement heroes from Dallas.
About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a private non-profit organization dedicated to telling the story of American law enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund built and now operates and maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which contains the names of 20,789 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The Memorial Fund is now building the National Law Enforcement Museum, which will tell the story of American law enforcement through high-tech, interactive exhibitions, historical artifacts and extensive educational programming. For more information, visitwww.LawMemorial.org.