Los Alamos Police Department Community Liaison Sgt. Chris Ross, left, accepts a proclamation from Los Alamos County Councilor James Robinson declaring the week of May 13 – 17 as ‘Police Week’ and Wednesday, May 15 as ‘Peace Officers’ Memorial Day’ in Los Alamos County. Photo by Maire O’Neill/losalamosreporter.com

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Los Alamos Police Department Community Liaison Sgt. Chris Ross accepted a proclamation from the Los Alamos County Council Tuesday evening declaring the week of May 13 – 17 as “Police Week” and Wednesday, May 15 as “Peace Officers’ Memorial Day” in Los Alamos County.

Ross told the Council that it means a lot to law enforcement officers to be able to take time out of their day and be appreciated.

“One thing about being in Los Alamos is the community does appreciate our efforts and we see it and it’s very unique that on normal days of the week community members will come up and say, ‘Thank you for your service, thank you for your work’,” Ross said. “And so we do know the appreciation is there day in and day out but it is nice to have the one week and the one day when we remember the ones that are honored and fallen in the line of duty.”

Ross said something the Department does is every time an officer loses his life somewhere in the United States, an email is sent out that has a little blurb about the officers, how many years they served and where they came from.

“It just gives us that reminder that we wear different colored uniforms, different patches and badges but we’re all there for the same cause and that’s public safety. Thank you for this time and this honor and this recognition for Peace Officers Memorlal Day,” he said.

The proclamation reads as follows:

WHEREAS:  the Congress of the United States has designated May 15th of each year to be Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, in honor of all fallen Officers and their families, and U.S. flags should be flown at half-staff; and

WHEREAS:  it is important that all citizens know and understand the challenges, duties and responsibilities of their police department, and that members of our police department recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, by protecting them against violence or disorder, and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression or intimidation; and

WHEREAS:  nearly 60,000 assaults against law enforcement Officers are reported each year, resulting in approximately 16,000 injuries, and since the first recorded death in 1791, over 20,000 law enforcement Officers have been killed in the line of duty, including over 600 Corrections Officers; In 2018, 150 Officers were killed in the line of duty, and another 29 Officers have lost their lives while serving in just the first three months of this year; and

WHEREAS, it is important that we pay tribute to the Officers who have fallen in the line of duty and recognize the sacrifices made by the families of those Officers, as well as the families of those who continue to protect and serve our communities; and

WHEREAS,  it is critical that we acknowledge the dedication of those that continue to serve and who are willing to undertake the crucial roles and responsibilities of law enforcement and corrections Officers within our communities, and commemorate and honor the dedicated service of Officers past and present;

NOW, THEREFORE, on behalf of the Council of the Incorporated County of Los Alamos, I do hereby proclaim the Week of May 13 – 17, 2019 as “POLICE WEEK”

AND FURTHERMORE, declare Wednesday, May 15, 2019 as “PEACE OFFICERS’ MEMORIAL DAY” in Los Alamos County, and call upon our citizens to publicly join in commemorating law enforcement Officers, past and present, who, by their faithful and loyal devotion to their duty, have rendered a dedicated service to their communities and, in so doing, have established for themselves an enviable and enduring reputation for preserving the rights and security of all citizens.