The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., is engraved with the names of more than 14,000 men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend their communities. Our memorial is the only one in Washington, D.C., that continues to add names. Every 57 hours a new name is added, and a family suffers, and a community mourns.

Unfortunately, Florida continues to rank in the top five states for the officers killed in the line of duty. As law enforcement leaders, we must continue to develop and provide our officers with the most realistic training available. Additionally, we must continue to push for laws to protect the public and our officers from violent offenders. Our initiatives must also include truthful and meaningful sentences for those convicted of inflicting injury or death on law enforcement officers.

In closing, May 15th is the one day each year we should hold dear. It is dedicated to our coworkers, friends, and relatives who become heroes and gave their all to serve their communities. May God bless them and their families.