11 police officers shot in 24 hours: Please sign the pledge below.

Crime in America

Gentlereaders: We recently speculated as to whether the recent rise in police officer facilities and shootings could be due to budget cuts. We read everyday about police officers being laid-off or cuts occurring within law enforcement and the entire criminal justice system. See http://crimeinamerica.net/2011/01/04/law-enforcement-fatalities-dramatically-increase-in-2010/.

Recent deaths and injuries may have nothing to do with adequate staffing (we have no proof that it does) but we remain concerned that criminal justice professionals are simply being stretched too thin.

USA Today announced today that the US Department of Justice will begin an investigation into officer deaths. See http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-01-26-copshootings26_ST_N.htm.

The entry below is from the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Fund. They ask us to sign their pledge of support for officers nationwide. Please consider via the link below.

Thanks.

Report:

A tragic wave of violence against America’s law enforcement officers started this past Sunday, with 11 officers shot within a 24 hour time frame.

I ask you to join me in standing shoulder-to-shoulder with law enforcement, and Stand with the Thin Blue Line. The Memorial Fund is compiling a list of Americans to show our law enforcement community that we stand by them, as they work tirelessly protecting our communities.

The recent spate of violence began in Detroit, MI, when a gunman entered a precinct and shot four officers; next two Kitsap County, WA Sheriff’s Deputies were shot at a Wal-Mart while responding to a call reporting a suspicious person; and police officers in both Indianapolis, IN and Lincoln City, OR were shot during traffic stops. The officer from Lincoln City is still in critical condition, but the officer from Indianapolis succumbed to his injuries. The attacks continued on Monday when three officers were shot — two fatally wounded, and one injured — while serving an aggravated battery warrant at a St. Petersburg, FL home.

A couple weeks ago, I shared with you the disturbing news that law enforcement fatalities rose in 2010. Unfortunately, 2011 continues in a similar fashion to 2010 – with 15 officer fatalities in the New Year, 11 cases where officers have been shot and killed.

Because of these terrifying trends, I also ask that after you sign your name to our pledge, please send this pledge to your friends and family, neighbors and colleagues.

The following officers are the most recent gunfire-related fatalities:

• Clark County (OH) Sheriff’s Deputy Suzanne Hopper
• Rainier (OR) Police Chief Ralph Painter
• Baltimore City (MD) Police Officer William H. Torbit, Jr.
• Lakewood (NJ) Patrolman Christopher Matlosz
• Livonia (MI) Police Officer Larry Nehasil
• Miami-Dade (FL) Police Officers Roger Castillo and Amanda Haworth
• St. Petersburg (FL) Sergeant Tom Baitinger and Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz
• Indianapolis Metropolitan (IN) Police Officer David Moore

These men and women put their lives on the line for us every day, to ensure our safety, and we must stand in support of law enforcement. Please Stand with the Thin Blue Line and add your name to the growing list of individuals who are tired of the violence against America’s law enforcement heroes. Help show the law enforcement community that we stand by them, at a time when they are under attack.

Source: http://support.nleomf.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=7821.0&dlv_id=22901