Page 43 - October 2018 FOP Magazine

‘This is tough work’
Attorney General Sessions makes surprise appearance
at Candlelight Vigil to support Chicago Police Officers
■ BY DAN CAMPANA
On a night dedicated to remembering fallen Chicago Police Officers, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions made it clear that those who continue to put the uniform on every day also will not be forgotten or left behind.
The appearance by Sessions at the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Candlelight Vigil came as a surprise to many in attendance, but his message to the officers gathered struck an unmistakable tone.
“We can never pay our officers enough for the dangerous work they do. This is tough work. Failure is not an option,” Sessions told the audience inside the United Club at Soldier Field. “We can, and we must, support and respect them. We can listen to them about what it requires to protect our com- munities, and that’s what this Department of Justice is doing.”
Sessions decried what he called failed policies in cities such as Chicago that halted decades of declining crime rates. He also pointed to smaller prison populations and the shrinking ranks of police officers as contributing to increased violence and deaths tied to criminal activity. Sessions also called on the audience to ignore anti-police sentiment and advice from those who have never walked a beat.
“It seems we’ve forgotten some of our key principles,” Ses- sions said. “To make America safe, we need to listen to the professionals who have proven over 30 years how to reduce crime, violence and murder. If you want crime to go down, lis- ten to the professionals. Listen to the police.”
With that, Sessions praised the courage of those who lost their lives in the line of duty and the families who have had to continue on without a loved one.
“I’m reminded of the sacrifice of these wonderful American law enforcement officers every time I send a letter to the fam- ily of every officer that has lost his or her life,” Sessions said before stating that it is one of his most important duties to highlight the work of police officers on a daily basis.
“I encourage our fellow citizens to support you in your de- manding, difficult world,” Sessions said. “Tonight, we remem- ber our fallen heroes, we mourn their loss and we rededicate our lives to preserving, protecting and defending our princi- ples.” d
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2018 43