United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II recognized National Police Week on May 11, thanking federal, state, and local law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifice.
National Police Week is observed each May to honor the nation’s law enforcement community and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives or been injured in the line of duty. In the Southern District of Ohio, several officers were remembered for their ultimate sacrifice over the past year: Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff Larry Henderson, Morrow County Deputy Sheriff Daniel “Weston” Sherrer, Lorain Police Department Officer Phillip Wagner, and Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Cayton.
In a letter addressed to all district law enforcement officers as part of this observance, Gerace highlighted the importance of law enforcement in America as the country approaches its 250th birthday. He wrote: “Without a doubt, since our Founders wrote the Declaration 250 years ago, our country has prospered beyond even what they could have imagined. The foundation of that prosperity, unquestionably, is the security that we enjoy in this country. And that security is provided by you—our dedicated law enforcement partners. It is your service that has allowed this country to grow and prosper. That is why it is critical that we support you at all levels of government and give you the tools necessary to firmly police our communities. Without that, we cannot be the country that our forefathers envisioned.”
Gerace also acknowledged the risks faced by officers every day: “We know, unfortunately, that security is not free, and that sometimes the cost of security is exacted in the form of a fallen officer. As devastating as it is to lose an officer in the line of duty, we take solace in the fact that they died while living a life of honor and self-sacrifice—dedicated to their fellow citizens. That sacrifice reminds us that security and prosperity are not guaranteed, and they depend upon extraordinary public servants who willingly place the safety of others ahead of their own.”
Information about National Police Week events—including details about its 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil—is available at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
The recognition comes as part of ongoing efforts to support law enforcement personnel throughout Ohio.
