CONNECTICUT, USA — Bill Alexander is the Executive Director of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. He explained to FOX61 News that right now is a really scary time to be in law enforcement.
However, while the fear may be in place, it's nothing new. Since 1877 there have been 51 line-of-duty deaths by gunfire in Connecticut, creating more than a century of danger for our law enforcement officers.
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Dr. Tre Pennie is a part of the National Fallen Officer Foundation as a 22-year Dallas police Sargent who retired in 2021; he said he'd been a police advocate for the past decade. Dr. Pennie said seeing the increase in danger officers face is tough.
"These officers go to work every day and know there's a potential for you not to go home, and they still have the fortitude to go to work," Dr. Pennie explained passionately. "Man, these are some powerful minds and powerful souls that do this job."
That was the reality for Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy were killed by gunfire in the line of duty late Wednesday night. Now, they're a part of the growing number of officers shot and killed over the past few years, an increase coming during the pandemic.
"COVID was a terrible time for law enforcement, we saw over 600 line of duty deaths last year with COVID," Dr. Pennie said "But during that same time, we also saw a record high of shooting-related attacks on police stops, and when officers have died."
Last year, the FBI reported that firearms were the most common weapon to kill officers on the job. However, Dr. Pennie and Alexander said they're a more significant threat than ever to those in the field, as 55 officers have died by gunfire this year in the US.
"We are going to blow past the total number of officers killed in the line of duty by gunfire last year," Alexander explained. "And it will probably be the most number of officers killed by gunfire in any given year. "
Supporters of the women and men in uniform know these stories well, and while efforts to prevent these deaths are ongoing, they're taking the time to remember those already gone.
"Right now, there are 23,229 names of heroes, all of whom served their community selflessly and willingly went to work; And for a number of reasons did not make it home," said Alexander.
Heroes like Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Officer Alex Hamzy.
Raquel Harrington is the race and culture reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at rharrington@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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