Sgt. Gerald Vick was laid to rest today. I’m watching the funeral procession and activities live on television right now as I write this. We sent a dozen or so officers from our Police Department to the funeral today to pay our community’s respects to the St. Paul Police Department and to Sgt. Vick’s family.
Public safety is a very precious commodity in this world. People yearn as much for peace and public safety in this world as they yearn for personal freedom. We take our public safety for granted in America, until an officer like Sgt. Vick is killed in a short spasm of senseless violence. He will be missed by his family; by his coworkers in the St. Paul Police Department; and by the citizens of St. Paul.
We have an exceptional group of men and women in our Police Department who are charged with creating and sustaining public safety in our community. This is a very important function of local government. Perhaps the most important thing that we do.
Creating and sustaining public safety is, by its very nature, a dangerous profession. Everytime a Police Officer approaches a car at a traffic stop or enters an apartment to address a domestic situation, there is the opportunity for that officer to experience violence, and maybe even fatal violence. Our Police Officers put themselves in this position willingly to create and sustain our public safety. It’s really quite a sacrifice, when you think about it.
May 15, 2005 is National Peace Officers Memorial Day. On that day, pause for a moment to think about how fortunate we are to have the privilege of living in a community where public safety is the expectation – not the exception. But more importantly, think about the men and women who provide that public safety for us. And remember to say ‘thank you’ to them for their efforts and for their sacrafices.
I know these folks. They’ll appreciate it.
