Political Quotes

“I rise today during National Police Week to recognize corrections officers who have one of the most difficult and stressful roles in our law enforcement. I made it a priority to tour jails in my district, and the corrections officers I have met are patriotic professionals who perform an unseen and often thankless job under incredibly stressful circumstances. When I asked these COs what their priorities are, how can I be useful, the first five times I asked the question, they kept telling me what their detainees need, what would make life better for their detainees. Every day corrections officers see firsthand the starkest crises of our society. They deal with the most violent offenders, our most difficult mental health challenges, inmates who have been caught up in the national fentanyl crisis, and people who have generally fallen through the cracks of society. Every day they do the hard and necessary work that makes our judicial system function and receive little to no respect or gratitude from society. It should not surprise anyone, given all this, that they have a suicide rate seven times higher than the general population and an average life expectancy of only 59 years. This is an indictment against our country.”