Sherburne County salutes law enforcement during National Police Week

May 12-18 has been designated as National Police Week in Sherburne County by the County Board of Commissioners, to recognize all law enforcement personnel and to honor the service and sacrifice of those officers killed in the line of duty.

Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office Commander Ben Zawacki read the National Police Week 2024 proclamation at the May 7 County Board meeting. He said there are approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in the United States.

Other facts he cited:

• Nearly 50,000 assaults against law enforcement officers are reported each year, resulting in approximately 13,000 injuries.

• Since the first recorded death in 1791, more than 22,000 law enforcement officers in the United States have been killed in the line of duty, including one member of the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office (Deputy Edward H. Foley, who died in 1919, at the age of 36).

• Their names are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.; 232 new names are being added this spring, including 118 officers killed in 2023.

• May 15 is designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day, in honor of all fallen officers and their families, and U.S. flags should be flown at half-staff.

County commissioners passed the proclamation unanimously and thanked law enforcement personnel and their families.

“We definitely need all of our law enforcement. Otherwise we’re going to be a society that is totally in disarray. So, thank you for showing up and doing the work,” Commissioner Raeanne Danielowski said.

The County Board also took action on two other proclamations.

•Approved a proclamation declaring May 10 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day.

•Approved a proclamation designating May as Mental Health Awareness Month.