Honoring service and sacrifice

I am proud to serve as director of the dedicated professionals in Law Enforcement and Investigations who ensure the public is safe when visiting our national forests and grasslands. Our law enforcement officers are often in dangerous situations, and during National Police Week, we pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

These officers made the ultimate sacrifice, and while we mourn their loss, we always remember that the ripples of losing an officer in the line of duty extend beyond our agency. Family and friends, as well as the communities they serve and are part of, are called upon to carry that burden.

I am proud every day to see the way our officers interact with communities and build relationships with the public we serve. Our officers are active community members, living in the places they work. Our successful involvement with both urban and rural communities highlights the importance of building collaborative relationships between agencies with law enforcement responsibilities and the public we serve.

Additionally, I am proud of our service to the public: engaging with forest and grassland visitors to ensure they feel welcome and safe, visiting local schools to meet young people and, yes, following up on reports of crime.

With all that said, this week we focus on those we lost. Eight Forest Service officers have been killed serving our agency: Jason Crisp, Christopher Upton, Kristine Fairbanks, Michael Staples, Stephen Bowman, Brent Jacobson, Harmon Schwoob and Rudolph E. Mellenthin. These eight officers and K-9 Maros are recognized at the National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial in Washington, D.C. Information about each officer can be accessed online at U.S. Forest Service Fallen Officers.

National Police Week dates to 1962, when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. The remembrance brings tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world to Washington, D.C., to participate in events honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Editor's Note: Provide feedback about this column, submit questions or suggest topics for future columns through the FS-Employee Feedback inbox.