They Died in the Line of Duty and are Remembered by Idaho Law Enforcement

Mark this on your calendar.  On May 9^th, there’s going to be a ceremony at Twin Falls Downtown Commons to remember law enforcement officers who gave the last full measure of devotion.  Not a week goes by that I don’t hear a newscast on the radio that mentions a man or woman who died in the line of duty somewhere in America.  It’s not an easy job, and over the course of my lifetime, I’ve witnessed an increasing hostility to policing from news media and from a subset of Americans who believe laws don’t apply to them.  From people who drive as if they own the road, to poachers who believe a shared resource is their private preserve.

The Violence Comes in Many Guises

It would be easy to attribute the lawlessness to Democrats, but it exists from an element of the right, too.  One side sees criminals as victims, the other claims a right to assuage their wants and urges.  Deputies, police, and troopers are caught in the middle.

When I was 12, a trooper responding to a domestic violence call in my county was killed.  Shot as he exited his car.  He was a friend of a neighbor next door and knew my dad.  The dead man had been on the job for about a year.  When I was in my 30s, I met a trooper who had been at the academy with his slain colleague.  The scar never healed.

There are Human Beings Behind the Badge

I have the advantage of hosting many law enforcement officers on my show.  You suddenly find there are people behind those uniforms.  They have families, like to barbecue, and enjoy a good ballgame.  The May 9^th event begins at 11:00 in the morning.