[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 27, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S4424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I proudly note passage of S. Res. 310, a 
resolution to designate May 15, 2004, as National Peace Officers 
Memorial Day. I again cosponsored this resolution with Senator 
Campbell, as we do every year. We are right to remember and commemorate 
the sacrifice and commitment of our law enforcement officers serving 
our communities, States and country. We annually honor the officers and 
their families who made the ultimate sacrifice for public safety.
  I commend Senator Campbell for his leadership in this issue. This 
marks the 8th year running that he and I have teamed up to submit the 
resolution to commemorate National Peace Officers Memorial Day. As a 
former deputy sheriff, Senator Campbell has experienced first-hand the 
risks faced by law enforcement officers every day while they protect 
our communities.
  I also want to thank each of our Nation's brave law enforcement 
officers for their unwavering commitment to the safety and protection 
of their fellow citizens. They are real-life heroes.
  Currently, more than 850,000 men and women who guard our communities 
do so at great risk. Each year, 1 in 15 offices is assaulted, 1 in 46 
officers is injured, and 1 in 5,255 officers is killed in the line of 
duty in the United States every other day. After the hijacked planes 
hit the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, 72 
peace officers died while trying to ensure that their fellow citizens 
in those buildings got to safety. That act of terrorism resulted in the 
highest number of peace officers ever killed in a single incident in 
the history of this country.
  In 2003, 146 law enforcement officers died while serving in the line 
of duty, well below the decade-long average of 165 deaths annually, and 
a major drop from 2001 when a total of 237 officers were killed. A 
number of factors contributed to this reduction including better 
equipment and the increased use of bullet-resistant vests, improved 
training, and advanced emergency medical care. And, in total, more than 
17,100 men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice--of that number 
43 are police officers who have already been killed in 2004 while 
serving in the line of duty.
  During the 108th Congress, we have improved the Justice Department's 
Public Safety Officers Benefits program by making law the Hometown 
Heroes Survivors Benefits Act (Public Law 108-182), which allows 
survivors of public safety officers who suffer fatal heart attacks or 
strokes while participating in non-routine stressful or strenuous 
physical activities to qualify for federal survivor benefits.
  The Senate also passed the Campbell-Leahy Bulletproof Vest 
Partnership Grant Act, S. 764, which will extend through FY 2007 the 
authorization of appropriations for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership 
Grant Program that helps State, tribal and local jurisdictions purchase 
armor vests for use by law enforcement officers. The House has yet to 
act on this important measure. We want to be sure that every police 
officer who needs a bulletproof vest gets one.
  Last month, the Senate added to the gun liability bill by a vote of 
91-8 the Campbell-Leahy Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, S. 253. 
This measure would establish national measures of uniformity and 
consistency to permit trained and certified on-duty, off-duty or 
retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms in most 
situations so that they may respond immediately to crimes across State 
and other jurisdictional lines, as well as to protect themselves and 
their families from vindictive criminals.
  This National Peace Officers Memorial Day, Vermonters will remember 
our brave State Police Trooper, Sergeant Michael Johnson, who was 
killed last Father's Day while trying to stop a suspect leading two 
other State troopers on a high-speed chase. Sergeant Johnson was not 
even on duty, but he went to help his fellow troopers that Sunday 
afternoon after hearing their trouble on his radio. He had just 
deployed a set of tire spikes across the interstate when the suspect 
swerved to avoid the spikes and struck him. Sergeant Johnson left 
behind his wife and three children. Words are insufficient for the 
brave sacrifice of the man who was so admired by his family, community 
and the Vermont State Police force. In memory of this bravery and 
service to his family, community, State and country, Sergeant Johnson 
will be one of the names added this year to the National Law 
Enforcement Officers Memorial.
  National Peace Officers Memorial Day will provide the people of the 
United States with the opportunity to honor the extraordinary service 
and sacrifice given year after year by our police forces. More than 
15,000 peace offices are expected to gather in Washington to join with 
the families of their fallen comrades. I thank the Senate for acting on 
this important resolution.

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