Appreciation to those who serve, protect

It may not have happened here, but its impact was felt.

The cold-blooded killings of four Lakewood Police officers as they sat in a coffee shop over Thanksgiving weekend were disturbing. It preceded Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton’s execution-style murder the evening of Halloween. All were in the process of planning their day or, in the case of Brenton while he sat in his patrol car beside a rookie officer. None were answering a call.

Two emotionally packed public memorials followed.

It was a brutal reminder of the dangers law enforcement employees face everyday.

Then last Tuesday, another memorial service for yet another slain officer.

Pierce County Sheriff Deputy Kent Mundell died a week later from gunshot wounds he sustained Dec. 21 when he and his partner, Sergeant Nick Hausner, responded to a domestic disturbance in Eatonville. Hausner is recovering.

Mundell was the sixth ambushed officer to die within the span of two short months in Western Washington. All officers were said to be doing what they loved – it wasn’t just a job – it defined them.

They all knew the dangers, but the risks (which had been relatively low) were worth the satisfaction of helping an innocent victim, whether it was getting a drunk off the road or responding to a domestic incident.

Sadly, it’s not just the officers who are no longer there to protect the public. Each one left a family behind and their passing leaves a wake of confusion to their survivors as to why someone would want to kill their father or mother, husband or wife, son or daughter.

For those who remain in the line of duty, who may feel slightly vulnerable putting on their badges and uniforms each day following the loss of their comrades, we say thank you.

Thank you for your courage to serve and protect our community.