As we gear up next month to celebrate Memorial Day, we should also remember the lives of police officers we have lost in the line of duty.
According to statistics from the FBI, the combined CSRA (Augusta-Richmond County, Columbia County and North Augusta) has a crime rate of 1.51 violent crimes per 1,000 people. The national average is 3 per 1,000.
While it may seem that a murder is reported every night on the news, the CSRA’s violent crime rate is only half of the national average, and one reason for that is the dedicated men and women who patrol our streets.
It is very easy to become complacent and take for granted that our safety is mostly guaranteed, we must remember that while the vast and overwhelming majority of citizens here are law abiding, we still have an interstate highway that snakes its way through all three counties.
MORE: Columbia County sheriff gives update on shooting that killed deputy, injured another
It is on the highway that an officer can be in the most danger because every traffic stop is a roll of the dice that the person stopped may be an honest citizen with a tail light out or it could be someone running from a warrant from another jurisdiction.
The person behind the wheel could be high as a kite and deranged as was the case with the man who shot and killed Richmond County Deputy J.D. Paugh in 2011.
This fact is what makes our men and women in law enforcement everyday heroes. They are willing to accept the odds and put on that uniform anyway.
The families of law enforcement are heroes, too. They know that daddy or mommy has a dangerous, but extremely important job. When a tragedy occurs, the family must muster the courage to cope and maintain a stoic facade, despite the pain that must cut like a dagger.
We salute our local law enforcement, especially Columbia County Deputy Brandon Sikes, who now belongs to the ages along with Deputy Gavin White who was gravely injured in the shootout.
We should all do more than simply place a “blue-line” sticker on our cars. The next time you encounter a deputy, take a moment to tell them of your appreciation.
