Dave Reichert: “Tomorrow is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. I would like to take this time to thank all of the men and women…”

“Tomorrow is National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. I would like to take this time to thank all of the men and women who put their lives on the line each and every day to keep our communities safe. As a former cop of 33 years, I know firsthand what it means to leave your home and not know if you are coming back. My family knows that feeling of: Is Deputy Dave going to come home tonight to his family? Well, early in my career, that was a big question mark. I found myself in a fight for my life at 23 years old, being attacked by a man with a butcher knife. I came home that night with 45 stitches in my neck. Years later, I lost a good friend and a partner who was ambushed, shot, and killed in 1982. Two years later, I lost a good friend--an academy colleague--who was stabbed to death in 1984. Sadly, deaths of police officers are occurring across this country each and every day. I want to take this time to especially mention the last two in Washington State who have sacrificed their lives for the protection of our community: Officer Rick Silva of Chehalis Police Department and Detective Brent Hanger of the Washington State Patrol. Mr. Speaker, we should take this time, especially tomorrow and in the coming weeks, to stop and say thank you to our law enforcement officials across this country for putting their lives on the line each and every day to keep our families safe. ____________________”