ALTON/EDWARDSVILLE – The recent Dallas Police shootings left a huge mark nationwide, especially with law enforcement agencies.
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The impact has been felt by local officers, who see those who were killed and wounded as a part of a group of women who police around the nation.
“There is a solidarity of men and women policing in this country and we are with them and their families in this difficult time,” Edwardsville Police Chief Jay Keeven said. “Our officers displayed a mourning band on their badge since the shootings. Being a sworn officer is a difficult job to do every day and unfortunately these officers in Dallas weren’t able to return home after their difficult day.”
Five police officers were killed in the line of duty while at least two others were injured in the shooting. This incident, as well as a shooting that left a Ballwin, MO. officer critically injured last Friday, are just two of many officer-involved shootings in the recent weeks.
Alton Police Chief Jason Simmons said, “this is a very hard time for law enforcement officers across the nation and we appreciate the public’s support."
“Once again it is horrific this occurred, but do see so much violence throughout our country,” he said. “I wish I knew the answer to the problem. We could just as easily be talking about school shooting, a police officer losing a life in a traffic stop. It is a senseless taking of life no mater which life it is no justification.”
The Alton Police Department will continue to act in the same professional manner in which the Alton community has become accustomed, Simmons said.
“As a reminder, within the last few months we had department-wide active shooter training, so we are prepared to act in a moment's notice for our citizens.” he said. “The training was done with the Alton Fire Department to coordinate the most effective response should we ever need to employ it. “
Keeven, like Chief Simmons, said he wishes he knew the answer to the violence problem spreading across the United States.
“I know quite often police are asked what they are going to do to fix it,” he said. “It affects all of society and it will require everyone’s efforts to fix the things that are broken.”
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