Letter to the Editor: Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House on National Police Week

Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House

May 18, 2023 – Every day, brave men and women who serve in law enforcement, both in the Central Valley and nationwide, put their lives on the line to protect our communities and keep us safe.

Our officers serve as the first line of defense in maintaining law and order. It is because of the dedication of the men and women in the Clovis Police Department that the city of Clovis is among the safest cities in both California and the United States.

The Fresno Police Department and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office also work tirelessly to ensure the safety and prosperity of the community. We are eternally grateful for their service.

These officers and other local law enforcement officials are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and friends and neighbors.

And though they come from all walks of life and backgrounds, what they share in common is that they each answered the call to serve, including some who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

Now more than ever, it is vital that we support our local police, sheriff’s deputies, and other law enforcement officers, which is why just last week, I hosted the third annual “Back the Blue Bike Tour” in Washington, D.C. to celebrate National Police Week.

During this event, my congressional colleagues and I biked with law enforcement officers from around the nation to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to honor the lives of the over 23,000 men and women who have been killed in the line of duty since 1786.

Their sacrifice helped make our communities and nation better, and their legacies will never be forgotten.

To further demonstrate our support for police officers across the country, the House of Representatives also voted on a series of bills focused on helping our law enforcement community, all which passed with unanimous support from House Republicans.

So this National Police Week, I encourage you to thank our nation’s brave law enforcement officers for protecting our communities, protecting our children, and protecting our country.

They put their lives on the line every day to keep us all safe.