“Today is Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. I am profoundly grateful for the service that our law enforcement officers render to our community and our Nation. They risk their lives and wellbeing every day to protect us. They are often overworked and underpaid. Yet with no hesitation, they run toward danger. They place the needs of others above their own. They are the backbone of our community. Our way of life is not possible without the rule of law and the protection of the vulnerable from violence and exploitation. Without them, our society simply would not work.
In 2019, eleven law-enforcement officers in the Western District of Texas died in the line of duty. Just this week I attended the funeral of Detective Cliff Martinez of the San Antonio Independent School District Police Department. Detective Martinez was killed last month while protecting others. I was deeply moved to hear about his devotion to the community and his decades-long service as a police officer. As his father said: ‘He was a protector.’ The same could be said of all our fallen brothers and sisters in blue.
Today, and every day, my hope is that our law-enforcement officers understand that the vast majority of their fellow citizens see them as the heroes they are. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your United States Attorney."
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
