Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I wish to take a few minutes to talk about the two ride-alongs I was privileged to take with Rapid City, SD, law enforcement officers at the end of March. We live in a climate where police officers are often made to sound like criminals and criminals are often portrayed as victims. The result is, we forget about the real victims--the people who have suffered crimes or are forced to live in crime-ridden neighborhoods--and we forget about the work police officers do in making our communities places we can live. Three weeks ago, I got to meet with law enforcement officers from the Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff's Office. After our meeting, I got to take a ride through Rapid Valley with Sheriff's Deputy Brandon Akley and a ride through Rapid City with Rapid City Police Officer Jim Hansen. Not very long ago, some neighborhoods in Rapid City had their share of challenges. Law enforcement officers frequently responded to drug and alcohol calls, abuse calls, domestic violence, break-ins, and other violent crimes. Imagine what it is like to live in a neighborhood like that. Coming home after dark is dangerous. It may not be safe for your children to play in the yard. It is certainly not safe to send them to the playground. Your children constantly see things no child should see and hear things no child should have to hear. Your property isn't secure. Your car and your home are at risk all the time.…”