The Gainesville Justice Center will once again sport a blue glow next week in observance of National Police Week.
The Gainesville Police Department, in addition to others across the region, will commemorate the special week from May 13-19, 2018.
According to a press statement from GPD, in the United States, more than 900,000 law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for the safety and protection of others. Nationally, statistics show that violent and property crime rates in the United States are at historic lows, thanks in large measure to the dedicated service of the men and women of law enforcement.
However, each year, there are approximately 60,000 assaults on law enforcement officers, resulting in nearly 16,000 injuries. Over the last decade, some 146 officers have been killed annually in the line of duty. On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 61 hours.
The Gainesville Justice Center will be lit up blue nightly to show respect and appreciation for law enforcement across the country.
