Honor all law officers

When I was growing up, being around a police officer was like being on sacred ground.  Folks seemed to stand straighter and taller when a city officer or sheriff’s deputy or a highway patrolman was present.  We knew many of their first names.  Law officers were owed respect and given it.  They had already earned it by virtue of the position they held. 

Today, our officers are put in a position that almost seems impossible–to enforce the law in a society which values human life less and less.  The two officers in Hattiesburg that were killed by career criminals during a traffic stop this weekend are prime examples of what law enforcement faces each minute of each day–will they come home safely that night? Their families need our prayers and support.

So, too, do the local members of your police department and the sheriff’s office, along with officers in the highway patrol, the game and fish commission and many other agencies whose mission is to enforce laws for the safety of each of us and our children.  Tell them “Thank you” the next time you see an officer.  More importantly, abide by the laws they enforce–at all times!