Rand Paul: “when a police officer is shot in the line of duty and survives, every fellow officer breathes a sigh of relief and…”

“when a police officer is shot in the line of duty and survives, every fellow officer breathes a sigh of relief and offers a silent prayer of thanks because they know that such a risk exists each time they put on their uniform and begin another day on the job. Today, I want to recognize a member of the Lexington Police Department, Officer Junior Pauleus, who was shot in the back at close range on February 5, 2022, as he was conducting a routine investigation with other members of the Lexington police force. Officer Pauleus, only 28 years old, has an interesting and compelling life story. He is a proud American, but not by birth. Originally from Haiti, Officer Pauleus met his future wife, Audrey, while she was on a mission trip. He eventually immigrated to the U.S. and became a citizen. Now, settled and thriving with his young family in Kentucky, he very recently joined the Lexington Police Department and was still on field training officer status on that fateful Saturday in February when he said his normal goodbyes to his wife and three children-- including his 5-day-old son--and started another shift.…”