Homeland Security Republicans to Law Enforcement: “We Have Your Back”
May 17, 2023
Homeland Security Republicans to Law Enforcement: “We Have Your Back”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This National Police Week, the House Committee on Homeland Security recognizes our nation’s law enforcement as well as the Members of the Committee who use their experience in law enforcement to help secure the homeland in the United States Congress. In 2021, more law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty than any year in the past two decades. In 2022, 246 police officers were killed in the line of duty, a 46 percent increase from 2019.
“Our nation’s law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to protect our communities and uphold law and order—from our borders and streets to the halls of Congress. This National Police Week, we honor these heroic public servants and recommit ourselves to supporting their mission as they face increased violence and anti-police rhetoric. Most importantly, this week is a sobering reminder of those who have laid down their lives in the line of duty and the tremendous sacrifices made by the families of those who serve,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) said. “I am proud to work with three retired members of law enforcement on this Committee, whose insight is crucial to its success. I am deeply grateful to Congressmen Higgins, D’Esposito, and Ezell for wearing the badge and to all the dedicated men and women who work to secure the homeland.”
“Serving my country in Congress was something that I never anticipated as a man. I was a street cop, a SWAT operator. I felt that was the journey of my life, that I would retire as a cop. But I found that the Lord had other plans for me.”
“When I came to Congress in 2017, it was clear to me as I considered committee assignments that the Homeland Security Committee was an obvious choice for me because of my background as a soldier; I was a military police officer in the Army.”
“It’s an amazing opportunity to deliver law and order at the federal level to every community across America, because the Homeland Security Committee’s jurisdiction touches every square inch of American soil.”
“The Lord was preparing me to serve in this role, and I find that the skills that I learned and cultivated over the course of my law enforcement career have helped prepare me for this role and service to my country.”
“Prior to serving on this Committee, I was also a proud detective in the New York City Police Department. I took an oath to protect and serve, and it’s the same oath that I’m following now as a Member of Congress. During Police Week 2023, it gives us an opportunity to recognize the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We must always remember it’s not about how they died, it’s about how they lived that made them heroes.”
“As we celebrate National Police Week, I think about my 42-year career as a law enforcement officer and the many opportunities that I had to serve my community. A dad was a law enforcement officer in our hometown of Pascagoula, and he was a well-respected member of the police community.”
“I wanted to be like my dad, and that led me into the police service in which I’ve enjoyed my life as a law enforcement officer. As we think about what’s going on around the country right now and the attacks that our men and women are under from the Left in the way that they’re talking about defunding the police, we’ve got to stand up to these people; we’ve got to stop this nonsense, and we’ve got to support our men and women who wear the uniform every day and risk their lives.”
“In Congress now, I’ve learned to work with other Members so that we can solve some of the big problems facing our country. Our law enforcement has never been under attack like we are right now; we’ve got to stand up and fight for these folks. I recently made a trip to the border, and I saw firsthand how things were going down there. I let our Border Patrol agents know that we have your back. As a law enforcement officer, I stand with our Border Patrol and will fight for them every day. We’ve done a lot of things while I’m on the Homeland Security [Committee], and one of them is to better support our men and women in law enforcement, not only at the border but across the country.”