[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 109 (Tuesday, July 14, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H5122-H5123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Loudermilk) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, in Fulton County, 
Georgia, officers of the Fulton County Police Department were alerted 
to shots fired in a neighborhood around 1:30 in the morning.
  The initial call indicated that a man was terrorizing citizens by 
going house to house, banging on doors and firing a weapon. Officers 
immediately responded and began searching for the gunman.
  About 45 minutes later another call was received, reporting gunfire 
in another part of the same neighborhood. Additional officers were 
dispatched.
  One of the officers responding to the second call was Detective 
Terrence Green, a 22-year veteran of the Fulton County Police force. 
Upon arriving in the neighborhood, officers could hear shots coming 
from the direction of one of the homes.
  As Terrence Green and his fellow officers bravely moved toward the 
gunfire, they were unknowingly walking into an ambush.
  When the officers were in range, the gunman emerged from a concealed 
position and began firing upon the officers. While running for cover, 
the officers returned fire, and in the ensuing firefight the gunman was 
eventually wounded.
  When the officers approached the gunman, they discovered that two of 
their own officers had also been shot during the ambush. All three were 
rushed to the hospital, where the gunman was treated for nonlife-
threatening wounds.
  However, Detective Green had received a fatal shot to the head and 
around 4:30 in the morning succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind 
four young children.
  In all aspects of the term, Detective Green is a hero. He put himself 
in harm's way to protect the lives of others.
  I wish I could stand here today and say that what happened to 
Terrence Green was an isolated incident; but, unfortunately, this 
scenario plays out much too often in the cities, towns, and boroughs 
across America.
  But even in the midst of imminent danger, officers like Detective 
Green courageously fulfill their duty to protect and serve the people 
of this Nation. And I am grateful to those men and women who willingly 
put their lives on the line for us daily.

[[Page H5123]]

  It is the cop walking the streets, the officer on patrol, the 
sergeant on watch, or the deputy responding to a call who are on the 
front lines in our States, counties, and cities.
  Whether the call is for a crime in progress, an automobile accident, 
or a natural disaster, they are often the first on the scene to render 
aid, give comfort, or even save a life.
  While they don't do their job for accolades nor do they expect our 
continuous praise, it is encouraging for someone to occasionally say 
thank you.
  But instead of thanking them for their dedication to duty, some 
officials instead publicly criticize our law enforcement community. 
This unwarranted public criticism not only undermines the morale of our 
law enforcement officers, but it undermines the public trust in these 
dedicated servants.
  With a growing number of violent protests and riots in our Nation, 
tensions between the police and the public have grown significantly 
over the past several years.
  But instead of using their positions of influence to diffuse the 
tension, certain officials have stoked the fire, which has rekindled 
distrust and encouraged public unrest.
  Careless remarks, such as comparing American law enforcement officers 
to terrorist organizations like ISIS, have placed more officers' lives 
at risk and have sparked more anti-law enforcement sentiment across our 
Nation.
  As a result, public bashing of our police has skyrocketed and now 
American law enforcement officers feel they have been thrown under the 
bus by the very people that should be supporting them.
  Recently, during a meeting with local first responders in my 
district, I asked if there was something I could do to help them.
  They asked for me to go back to Washington, D.C., and tell our 
government officials to please stop undermining them, to stop publicly 
criticizing them for doing the job they are tasked to do.
  ``Please make Washington understand,'' they said, ``that it is 
incredibly demoralizing to be putting your life on the line, fighting 
crime, while those in positions of leadership are making you out to be 
the criminal.''
  Mr. Speaker, as with any organization, there are a few in law 
enforcement that haven't held themselves to the high standards of 
dedication expected within the law enforcement community, and those who 
violate the public trust should and most often are removed from their 
positions to face harsh disciplinary action.
  But just as every elected official in Washington, D.C., our peace 
officers have sworn an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of 
the United States.
  And while there are some instances where officers have strayed off-
course, from what I have seen in the short time that I have been here, 
as a whole, law enforcement has a better record of upholding their 
oaths than some of the elected officials here in Washington.
  Mr. Speaker, our law enforcement officers deserve our admiration, 
respect, and appreciation, and today I want to thank them for the work 
they do for us.
  I want to thank the spouses and the families who have endured many 
sleepless nights while their loved ones were responding to a call.
  And to the families of those that have given their lives in the line 
of duty, on behalf of a grateful Nation, I thank you for your sacrifice 
for our safety, security, and freedom.

                          ____________________