On the recordMay 12, 2021
As a 30-year law enforcement veteran, the rhetoric and hatred I have seen towards police these last 12 months is disgusting. Rather than recognize the over 800,000 law enforcement officers in this country who do their job honorably each and every day, the far left has sought to demonize and defund our law enforcement based off the actions of the few--the few who fail to uphold their oaths. Every year in our country, there are more than 10 million arrests. Most Americans never hear a word about the millions of arrests that happen without incident. Why is that? Because it doesn't sell headlines. It doesn't fit the anti-law enforcement narrative. The hateful anti-law enforcement rhetoric has led to violence and destruction in cities across our country. We see it in Seattle, Minneapolis, Portland--city blocks burned, businesses destroyed, and lives ruined forever. But we are not here today to focus on the anti- law enforcement zealots. This is National Police Week. We are here today to honor the 22,000 brave law enforcement officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. In 2021, the names of 394 officers killed in the line of duty were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Fifty-nine of those brave men and women were from my home State of Texas. One of them, I knew.…
