[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 67 (Monday, May 16, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2987-S2988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I rise to honor the service of our 
Nation's law enforcement officers on the occasion of National Police 
Week, which is taking place this year from May 15 through May 21.
  Every day, in cities and towns across America, police officers put 
their lives on the line to protect their fellow citizens. As a State 
and Federal prosecutor, I was proud to work alongside so many fine law 
enforcement officers in Rhode Island. I saw their hard work, their 
dedication to protecting the public, their commitment to upholding the 
rule of law, and the sacrifices they made for their communities.
  During National Police Week, we remember those officers who have 
fallen in the line of duty, and we honor their families. It is a 
tragedy for a single officer to be killed in the line of duty. Yet 
according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, there 
were 162 law enforcement fatalities in America last year, a jump of 
nearly 40 percent from the year before. In 2011, the statistics are 
even more upsetting: as of May 12, there have already been 69 officer 
fatalities, a 17-percent increase from this time a year ago.
  Here in the Nation's Capital, we are marking the service and loss of 
our country's fallen police officers through the events of National 
Police Week. Yesterday more than 20,000 officers gathered in 
Washington, DC, to observe National Peace Officers Memorial Day. I was 
proud to join with Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Grassley, and other 
members of the Senate in cosponsoring a resolution recognizing that 
day, and commemorating the dedication of those officers killed or 
injured in the line of duty.
  I also wanted to highlight for my colleagues two recent events to 
honor this occasion in my home State.
  Earlier this month, Newport hosted the 28th annual Aquidneck Island 
National Police Parade. Hundreds of officers from nearly every police 
agency in Rhode Island marched alongside more than 1,000 fellow police 
officers from across the Northeast and Canada.

[[Page S2988]]

  The marchers in Newport included Robert Shaw, the father of 
Providence police Sergeant Steven Shaw, who was killed in the line of 
duty in 1994. Mr. Shaw has been an active leader of Concerns of Police 
Survivors, COPS, an organization that has provided so much support to 
the loved ones, families, and former comrades of fallen officers. I am 
pleased to have joined with Senator Murkowski and other Senators on 
both sides of the aisle in cosponsoring a resolution recognizing the 
work of this organization and designating May 14, 2011, as National 
Police Survivors Day.
  Last week, another group of Rhode Island police officers embarked on 
a longer march. Thirteen officers from Woonsocket marched for 4\1/2\ 
days in the 11th annual COPSwalk to Washington, under the leadership of 
Sergeant Ed Cunanan. Their dedication has raised thousands of dollars 
to provide financial support for the families of fallen police 
officers.
  Once again, I thank the officers across Rhode Island and our country 
who protect our kids, secure our communities, and bring criminals to 
justice. They are public servants of the highest order who have given 
so much of themselves for the benefit of us all. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues to make sure we do all we can to protect 
their safety as they fulfill their vital responsibilities.
  Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
thousands of peace officers who tirelessly serve our country and our 
communities. Having just commemorated Peace Officers Memorial Day on 
May 15, I want to specifically acknowledge the 162 officers killed in 
2010, including 5 from my home State of Missouri, who laid down their 
lives in service to others.
  This past week in our Nation's Capital thousands of police officers, 
deputy sheriffs, State troopers, investigators, and agents gathered in 
fellowship as brothers and sisters united by a bond of service and 
sacrifice. Every year, they gather to commemorate their fallen at the 
National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial where the names of nearly 
19,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty are etched. 
Nationally, the average age of the officers killed in 2010 was 41; the 
average length of their law enforcement service was nearly 12 years; 
and, on average, each officer left behind 2 children. While there is no 
way we can fully restore the families, the coworkers, and the 
communities of our fallen law enforcement professionals, we can offer 
solace and tribute in the hope that they know we honor them and their 
sacrifice.
  The profession of a being a peace officer in this country is unique 
in many ways and its challenges are many. We expect our officers, 
deputies, troopers, agents, and investigators to uphold the law of the 
land without compromise and without blemish. We expect them to run 
toward the sounds of gunfire, to transform chaos into order, to provide 
comfort to the afflicted and injured, to protect the vulnerable, and to 
facilitate justice for the victimized. We ask them to do this at every 
hour of the day, every day of the year, in every climate and place 
where the American flag flies. The most amazing thing is that our peace 
officers exceed every one of these expectations, and for this we remain 
eternally grateful.
  Much like our military, peace officers are ordinary men and women who 
choose to answer a call to become extraordinary heroes. They are our 
moms, our dads, our brothers, our sisters, our neighbors, and our 
friends. Our peace officers understand duty before self. They 
understand what it means to miss holiday meals with their loved ones. 
They understand that long hours of calm may turn into moments of 
intense violence. They understand they are sentinels, standing in the 
gap between our loved ones and those who would do them harm.
  In closing, I offer my humblest and sincerest gratitude to the 
families and loved ones of our wonderful peace officers. They, too 
understand sacrifice and commitment, and without their enduring 
support, the men and women behind the badge would not be able to 
accomplish all they do. To those who wear the badge and answer the call 
to serve, I humbly say thank you, and I ask my fellow Senators to join 
me in acknowledging them.

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