President Biden on Saturday paid tribute to America’s fallen police officers, telling families that their loss is also America’s loss, speaking at the 40th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service in front of the U.S. Capitol and warning that police departments need more resources.
“Being a cop today is one hell of a lot harder than it’s ever been, and to the families of the fallen, you’ve suffered an enormous loss, but understand your loss is also America’s loss, and your pain is America’s pain,” Biden said.
The service was held to honor the 491 law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty during 2019 and 2020. Biden spoke just hours after three Texas deputy constables were shot in an “ambush attack” early Saturday morning that killed at least one of them.
Biden was joined by First Lady Jill Biden and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. FBI Director Christopher Wray was in attendance but Attorney General Merrick Garland was not.
Biden pointed out that 2020 was the deadliest year for law enforcement, and told attendees that “we’re waking up to the notion that unless we change the environment in which the job can be done, we’re going to have trouble having enough women and men come forward to want to do the job.”
