An editorial from The Register-Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — The police memorial service held last week in Fayetteville was a reminder of the sacrifices our law enforcement officers can and do make for our communities.
The event, held in conjunction with National Peace Officer Day, was a tribute to the men and women who put on a uniform and badge and often put their lives on the line.
We were particularly struck by the comments of Oak Hill Police Department Lt. Shannon Price.
Rarely do the rest of us experience what a law enforcement officer is feeling when a routine call turns out to be anything but routine.
“It’s a gut-wrenching feeling that this situation is far from normal or routine. That feeling is fear. Everything in the body says to run away and listen to the fear, but they don’t. They are afraid that they’ll never see their loved one again, but they do the job.”
Doing that job as a policeman or policewoman has never been easy.
But these days there are added pressures on law enforcement officers who have to make snap judgments in high-pressure situations.
Those decisions can mean life or death for the officer, for the suspect or for bystanders…
