Every year, we observe Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (LEAD) on January 9. On this day, we celebrate and honor our brave men and women in uniform. Every day, our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep us safe, to combat dangerous crime, and to help preserve the Green Mountain State’s unique beauty and quality of life. This involves tremendous daily sacrifice on their parts, to be sure, but also on the parts of their families and loved ones, who worry that officers will come home to them safely at shift’s end.
Consider the case of a young patrol officer, who had recently graduated from the Vermont Police Academy. Last year, she responded to a domestic violence call on behalf of her local Vermont police department. When she arrived to the residence - alone, as backup had not yet arrived - she found a badly beaten, bloody, and unconscious woman on the floor. A man of large stature stood in proximity to her body. When the newly-minted officer gave commands to the man, he did not comply; instead, he walked over to the unconscious female and continued to beat her with his fist. Without firing shots or drawing her gun, the female officer subdued the assailant on her own, saving the woman’s life. This is heroism. And heroic acts like these are performed by our law enforcement officers every day. For every dispatch and 911 call to which they respond, they have no idea what danger may await them. But, in the name of our safety, they always respond and they get there as quickly as they can.
On January 9, take a moment to show support for those who serve and protect. Send them an email, take them to coffee or lunch, tweet support for them, or just give them a call and say “thank you." This is the least we can do to give back to those who dedicate their lives to public protection and run toward danger to keep us safe. On LEAD and every day, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Vermont is deeply grateful to its law enforcement partners at the federal, state, local, and county levels. We know that none of our cases are possible without your sacrifice and dedication, and we look forward to continuing our work together to promote justice and public safety in 2020.
As we enter this New Year, it’s also a good time to reflect upon, and raise awareness of, officer wellness issues. 2019 witnessed 228 officer suicides nationwide, up from 172 in 2018. Three Vermont officers have died by suicide since 2016. The trauma, stress, and long hours of the job - and harrowing experiences like responses to violent domestics - contribute to these tragic figures. While there is much we can and should do to address the tragedy, a doubling-down of appreciation and support for officers would be a great and much-needed start. The Department of Justice recently launched the HERE, HELP, HOPE campaign. Men and women in uniform, we are “here" for you. If you wear the uniform, or someone you love wears the uniform, there is “help" - call 1800273TALK or text “blue" to 741741. Above all, there is always “hope."
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
