[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8409]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY AND POLICE WEEK

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, all across the country this week, 
Americans will honor the law enforcement officers who keep our Nation 
safe and paying solemn tribute to those who have lost their lives in 
the line of duty. Peace Officers' Memorial Day and Police Week is a 
time to thank all those who keep us safe, and a time to be grateful for 
all who have served.
  As the Jefferson County Judge Executive in Louisville, KY, I had a 
strong relationship with the local police force. I was always proud of 
the department and its leadership and the rank and file officers who 
worked hard to protect and defend Louisville. I remember the pride we 
felt when we brought county and city police together to create the 
Crimes Against Children Unit, and the pride the officers felt when they 
made it a model for the rest of the country.
  Louisville has changed a lot since then, and so has America. On 
September 11 we awoke to an enemy that has no regard for human life and 
that has repeatedly expressed its intent to destroy our Nation. We have 
seen the horror these people can inflict on our cities. And we take 
them at their word when they say that they plan to do it again. It is 
because of this threat that today we have an even deeper appreciation 
for the men and women who enforce our laws, not just as first 
responders to crime, but as a first line of defense against potential 
terrorist attacks.
  During this Peace Officers' Memorial Day and Police Week, we honor 
the contributions of our police officers and other keepers of the 
peace. We remember the sacrifice of those who have fallen in the line 
of duty, including Officer Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson, 
who gave their lives right here in the Capitol ten years ago. It was 
July 24, 1998) when they, as it now says on the plaque commemorating 
their heroism, ``bravely gave their lives defending the United States 
Capitol.''
  We express our gratitude to the families of America's peace officers 
and police, who make sacrifices large and small so their loved ones can 
keep the rest of us safe.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Colorado.

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