The publication is reproduced in full below:
BACK THE BLUE
______
speech of
HON. KEN CALVERT
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, February 7, 2022
Mr. CALVERT. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation for our law enforcement officers.
The men and women in blue who keep our streets safe are heroes. Every day when they put on their uniform, they do so mindful that they may be called upon to put themselves in harm's way. By stepping forward and selflessly protecting us, they make everything else possible. The recent violence against our police officers is a stark reminder of the dangers of the job.
On May 31, 2021, Sergeant Dominic Vaca of the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department was killed in the line of duty. Sgt. Vaca spent 17 years protecting the Inland Empire and died a hero. He is just one of 346 officers who was shot in the line of duty in 2021.
Homicide rates in California rose 17 percent last year--on top of a 31 percent rise in 2020. I believe these increases can be in large part attributed to radical calls to defund our police and Democrats' soft on crime rhetoric.
Thankfully, most Americans see our officers for the agents of good that they are. In left-leaning states, however, like California, Democrats have enacted laws that actually make it more difficult for our law enforcement officers to do their job. This is wrong. This is dangerous.
I specifically would like to thank those that keep my community safe. Sheriff Chad Bianco; the Riverside County Sheriffs Department who serve our county and contract cities; as well as the officers of the Corona, Menifee, and Murrieta Police Departments; and all those who serve Riverside County and across the Inland Empire. I thank them for the selfless and heroic work they do.
I stand fully behind our law enforcement officers and will continue to vote for policies that support public safety. We can never repay the men and women who wear the uniform and keep our loved ones safe. But we can--and we should--always have their back.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 25
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