Editor’s note: Chuck Norris’ weekly political column debuts each Monday in WND and is then syndicated by Creators News Service for publication elsewhere. His column in WND often runs hundreds of words longer than the subsequent release to other media.
While many in the nation rally from Oakland to New York City in protest over the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, I keep wondering: What about the good cops? Like with our military personnel, we are often quick to hang the alleged corrupt but slow to honor those who serve honestly to protect.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to honor the service and sacrifice of America’s law enforcement officers, there are more than 900,000 of them who are presently serving in the United States – about 12 percent are female.
Business Insider explained back in August that the FBI reported police in America killed 404 suspects as “justifiable homicide” in 2011. Despite the fact that these don’t cover cases of “unjustifiable homicide,” 404 is still a high number, especially when compared to other countries.
As Business Insider reported, “By comparison, just six people were killed by police in Australia over the same period. Police in England and Wales killed only two people, and German police killed six.”
What it doesn’t explain, however, is how 150 U.S. law enforcement officers are killed in the line of duty every year. Did you know one cop is killed in the line of duty roughly every two days?
First, it’s important to note what our uniformed guardians of good are really up against.
Again, according to NLEOMF and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, in the U.S.:
- “An estimated 1.2 million violent crimes occurred nationwide in 2011. (Note: That’s just violent crimes.)
- “On average, over the last decade, there have been 58,261 assaults against law enforcement each year, resulting in 15,658 injuries.
- “Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over 20,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.
- “A total of 1,501 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one death every 58 hours or 150 per year.
- “There were 100 law enforcement officers killed in 2013.
- “The deadliest day in law enforcement history was Sept. 11, 2001, when 72 officers were killed while responding to the terrorist attacks on America.
- “New York City has lost more officers in the line of duty than any other department, with 697 deaths. Texas has lost 1,675officers, more than any other state. The state with the fewest deaths is Vermont, with 22.”
In fact, while citizens have been rallying in Ferguson and New York City, in just the past month a dozen cops have been killed across our country by murderous thugs or unfortunate accidents in the line of duty.
Let me put some flesh to these statistics. Here are the recently fallen in just the month of November 2014, according to the NLEOMF:
Nov. 30, 2014
Navajo Division of Public Safety in Arizona
Police Officer Montoya suffered a fatal heart attack while transporting a prisoner that he had just arrested. Officer Montoya is the fourth law enforcement fatality from the State of Arizona in 2014. He is survived by his wife and five children.
Nov. 26, 2014
San Juan Police Department, Puerto Rico
Agent Roman-Acevedo was shot and killed while attempting to stop an armed robbery while off-duty. He is survived by his wife and one child.
Nov. 23, 2014
Deputy Sheriff James Bart Hart
Elmore County Sheriff’s Department, Alabama
Deputy Sheriff Hart was on duty and had just left the scene of an accident involving a deer, when he was struck by another car and killed. He is survived by his wife and daughter.
Nov. 22, 2014
Deputy Sheriff Christopher Smith
Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Florida
Deputy Sheriff Smith was shot and killed in ambush while responding to a house fire. He is the fifth law enforcement fatality from the state of Florida in 2014. He leaves behind his wife and two children.
Nov. 21, 2014
Sgt. Alejandro “Alex” Martinez
Willacy County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
Sgt. Martinez was killed in a single-vehicle crash. He is the 11th law enforcement fatality from the state of Texas in 2014.
Nov. 19, 2014
Deputy Sheriff Jeffrey Wayne Greene
Union County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina
Deputy Sheriff Greene’s patrol car was stopped in a turn lane when a tractor-trailer rolled over onto it. He is the second law enforcement fatality from the state of North Carolina in 2014. Green is survived by his wife, two daughters and five grandchildren.
Nov. 16, 2014
Police Officer Justin Winebrenner
Akron Police Department, Ohio
Police Officer Winebrenner was shot and killed while confronting an armed suspect causing a disturbance in a crowded tavern near closing time. Officer Winebrenner is the second law enforcement fatality from the state of Ohio in 2014. He is survived by his 4-year-old daughter.
Nov. 5, 2014
Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina
Investigator Smith, a 19-year law enforcement veteran, ran off the road and died after a meeting earlier in the day with SLED agents about a car theft case. He is the third law enforcement fatality from the state of South Carolina in 2014. He leaves behind a wife and five children.
Nov. 4, 2014
Deputy Sheriff Darrell Perritt
Maury County Sheriff’s Department, Tennessee
Sheriff Perritt was killed in a single-vehicle crash while responding to help another deputy involved in a pursuit with a drunken-driving suspect. He is the third law enforcement fatality from the state of Tennessee in 2014. He leaves behind his wife and three kids.
Nov. 2, 2014
Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri
Deputy Sheriff Chism was shot and killed following a vehicle chase and foot pursuit in which gunfire was exchanged. He is the second law enforcement fatality from the state of Missouri in 2014. He leaves behind his wife and small child.
Nov. 1, 2014
El Paso County Constable’s Office, Precinct 1, Texas
Constable White was fatally injured struggling with a suspect while working a security detail. He is survived by his wife and four children.
What’s amazing is that the above is only a single month in the last year.
I’m not telling anyone not to protest. That’s your constitutional right and freedom of speech at work. What I am saying is, if you’re going to speak up against one cop who you believe to be corrupt, then at least extend a hand of gratitude to another who’s doing his or her job well.
This hits a little close to home because I am very pro-law enforcement, have many friends who are amazing officers and I am even an honorary Texas Ranger. I also married a cop! My wife, Gena, is a former correctional corporal and reserve deputy sheriff from her hometown in Northern California.
The truth is, most of the time across the country, injury occurs between cops and civilians not because cops have a power problem but because civilians are breaking the law. If they obeyed the laws of the land or paused to respect the badge a little bit more, the injuries to both civilians and law enforcement would be miniscule.
Even the Good Book says, “For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience” (Romans 13: 3-5).
Even more apropos are the words of our Savior whose birth we celebrate this month on Dec. 25 and whose words remind us of the sacrifice He and many of our law enforcement make: “Greater love has no one than this: that one lay down his life for another.”
From my wife, Gena, and I, we wish all law enforcement a very merry and safe Christmas, as we salute the red, white and true blue!
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