Remarks By Governor David M. Beasley

Law Enforcement Awards

April 16 1998

Note: The Governor sometimes deviates from text.

Thanks, Charlie. What you said is exactly right.

It's so easy for us to take our men and women in uniform for granted. We see you every day driving through our neighborhoods, we see you in our children's schools, we see your lights flashing on the side of the road.

But we tend to forget how much safer you make our lives...and how much you and your families sacrifice in the process.

A lot of times we even forget to say thank you until it's too late.

But we're not going to let another opportunity pass us by. Today is our chance to say to these four men face to face: we appreciate you. We owe South Carolina's safety to you. And along with you, we honor all the officers on the beat today...those who join you in facing the split-second, life and death peril that is your job.

Billy Graham once said that "When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened."

You four have certainly taken a stand...and set a courageous example for your colleagues to follow.

You've faced your fears for our peace of mind.

You've left your families to protect our families.

And you've been willing to lay down your lives to save the lives of strangers.

That's the kind of selfless devotion not many of us can understand or duplicate. But we're sure glad that every day, you rise again to the challenge.

That badge you wear is heavy with the weight of responsibility and duty and sacrifice...but gentlemen, you wear it well.

And my children and South Carolina's children are safer because it.

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