National Police Week

Floor Speech

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Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, this week, our Nation observes National Police Week, a time when we pay tribute to our brave law enforcement officers and honor those who died in the line of duty.

Over the course of this week, Americans will come together to pay tribute to the 619 officers who gave their lives in the line of duty last year. Among them, six brave officers from Kansas will be memorialized on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC.

Thousands travel to our Nation's Capital to honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice during this ceremony, and back home, Kansans will gather to honor the men and women who put on a uniform each day to protect the communities we call home.

One officer Kansans will gather to pay tribute to next week is Captain Clay Germany of the Wichita Police Department. Captain Germany was a U.S. Navy veteran and started his law enforcement career serving with the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office and the Midwest City Police Department. He then dedicated 27 years to serving with the Wichita Police Department and, throughout his time, served as police officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain.

Captain Germany earned a reputation for being a trusted leader and mentor within the community and in the department, always willing to lend a helping hand. On behalf of Kansas, I want to express my gratitude for his service. Captain Germany's dedication helped make Wichita a better and safer community.

I also want to recognize Wichita Police Department Officer Kyle Mellard, who was shot when responding to a welfare check in June of last year. After fighting for his life, Officer Mellard is able to walk again, a recovery that his fellow officers call a miracle. Despite his severe injuries, when talking about his recovery, Officer Mellard made his goal clear: to get back to work as an officer as soon as possible.

All too often, we forget about the many important roles that our police officers have within our communities. This extends beyond relationships between police officers and individual residents. It is about the relationships between law enforcement and key institutions in our communities, such as churches, hospitals, schools, and businesses.

During Police Week, we honor those we have lost, but we also remember the families they left behind. May God comfort them in their time of grief and be a source of strength for them.

May God bless our law enforcement officers and protect them from harm as they faithfully perform their duties each and every day.

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