Communities mark Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – Communities across south-central Kentucky are recognizing Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, a day set aside to thank the men and women who serve in law enforcement and work to keep neighborhoods safe.
Law enforcement agencies say support from the public helps build trust and strengthen relationships between officers and the people they serve, both during emergencies and in everyday interactions.
Bowling Green Police Department public information officer Ronnie Ward said officers do not do the job for recognition, but because they are committed to the communities where they live and work.
He said, “We don’t do this job for the thanks. And we do it because we’re driven to build a safer community. We live here too. And our kids go to school here. We go to church here, we shop here, we eat here, all those things that everyone else does.”
He added, “When people go out of their way to say, ‘hey, thank you for what you do, we appreciate that.’ I really just, sometimes I’m taken off guard. I just don’t expect that to happen. Not that I don’t expect people to say it. I just don’t do it for that expectation.”
Ward said while officers do not expect thanks, it is always appreciated. He also said the day also serves as a reminder that public safety depends on continued cooperation between law enforcement and the community throughout the year.
