Public officials were also in attendance, with Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs voicing his support of the approximately 5,000 law enforcement officers in Idaho. In more than two decades of working as prosecutor, he has seen those officers threatened and placed in danger, while they showed incredible dedication and commitment to duty, he said. “It takes a special combination of dedication and integrity,” Loebs said. “We have so many with those qualities.” As he introduced Hartgen, Loebs announced her as the first recipient of the Law Enforcement Legislator of the Year Award for her continued support of issues concerning those in the field. Hartgen received a plaque before taking her place at the podium.
TWIN FALLS — “These guys and gals have given it all.” State Rep. Linda Wright Hartgen summed up the sacrifice of fallen law enforcement officers during her speech at the Law Enforcement Memorial on Saturday at City Park. “These people are just like you and me,” she added. She also noted how law enforcement officers have families, bills, and, “This is not an easy job. It’s very stressful.” Admitting reluctance, Hartgen nonetheless included some sobering statistics in her speech, including the fact that 153 officers were killed in the line of duty nationwide in 2018, and 38 so far in 2019. The number of suicides in the law enforcement community is even higher, she said, with post-traumatic stress disorder being a major concern. Read the full article here.
MagicValley.com | Julie A. Ferraro