Joan Guerreno was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Bedford, Maine in July. He had a social number and work permit. After he was killed his body was left in the street for hours. Joan’s death was one of two that week. Lorenzo Araujo was killed by ICE agents six days earlier, in Houston, Texas. Lorenzo,35, was a Mexican National who had lived in the United States for 35 years. He was close to obtaining legal stature in this country.
They were the tenth and eleventh individuals killed by ICE agents this year. Twenty –one others have died in ICE detention. The use of force by ICE and border patrol agents has some citizens of this country worried about the situation of law enforcement in this country.
That is unfortunate, as on the whole federal, state and local police officers do a wonderful job protecting the citizens. None of them get any press until something goes wrong and citizens suffer. With 340 million people in the country, law enforcement has such an important job of protecting people. Nothing is said about the day-to-day protection that local community police provide
Recently, I was a member of a grand jury for Montgomery County. During the day police officers from the New River Valley presented their findings on individuals who were being charged for an assortment of crimes.
I was impressed with the respect each officer had for the judicial system. Not only was their attitude good they presented information about each case that they had prepared in detail concerning each situation.
I am pleased to live in Montgomery County and more than satisfied by the police support that is provided to the community. All of us need to say thanks for making our lives better and safer.
Thought for the Day: “Now we go into three straights months of political ‘hooey’. You hear speeches that require more wind than a marathon race.” Will Rogers (8/14/32)
