Friends,

This week, I spoke on the Senate floor honoring the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers during National Police Week.

Watch my floor speech here. 

In North Carolina, we lost ten law enforcement officers in 2020, and we've tragically lost six so far in 2021. Some of these officers were victims of COVID-19, others were involved in car accidents, and some made the ultimate sacrifice, killed in the line of duty. Recent tragedies in Cabarrus, Gaston, Henderson, and Watauga Counties have been met with an outpouring of gratitude, appreciation, and love from the residents of those communities. 

Most Americans still greatly appreciate the service of law enforcement. They recognize the vast majority of men and women serving in law enforcement are good people who put on their uniforms every day, willing to risk their own lives to protect others. Being a law enforcement officer is not an easy job, and it's not a safe one. But being an officer is becoming harder and harder, as they handle more stress, more pressure, and more responsibilities than ever before. If their jobs weren't hard enough already, there are some people – including people on Capitol Hill – who are actively demonizing all of law enforcement. Arguing they are unworthy of taxpayer funding or people's respect, it's no wonder why many law enforcement offices across the nation have low morale. We see the real-world consequences: a decrease in applications, early exits, and more retirements. It’s gotten to dangerous levels in several cities across the country. 

The demonization of law enforcement will have lasting consequences, and it will ultimately make all of us less safe. This is why Congress must do everything we can to support law enforcement and stop efforts to demean and demonize them. The best way to do that is to recognize law enforcement for their remarkable service and the dangers they face to protect us. 

Thank you for reading, and as always, please reach out to my office if you have any questions or need help with a federal agency. God bless.

All the best,