Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

 A NATIONAL DAY OF APPRECIATION
Today, Friday, January 9, 2015 is the first National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day (L.E.A.D.).  If you do a Google search on that subject you'll find that cities all over the country are recognizing the men and women who go to work every day to keep us safe.

WELL, NOT EVERYWHERE

Apparently not in Costa Mesa, though.  I searched the City web site and found no mention of this event.  I checked the web and found nothing.  I did find a reference at the Orange County Sheriff's Department web site about this day, HERE.

DISGUSTING SNUB!
It deeply saddens me to think that the relationship with the men and women of the Costa Mesa Police Department and the city government where they work has deteriorated to such a point that no mention, no recognition, is made on this national day of appreciation to a law enforcement officers by the city in which they literally lay their lives on the line every day.

THE RANKS ARE THINNER NOW...
The picture here was taken as the CMPD recognized it's 60th Birthday.  Click on the image to enlarge it.  The crowd shown here has thinned significantly since the day this photo was taken.  Men and women continue to depart faster than they can be back-filled, causing horrendous hours of overtime to be worked by those who remain in order to keep us safe. 

(Former Police Chiefs Dave Snowden, Roger Neth and Tom Gazsi)                         

RECOGNIZE THEM ALL...
So, today - even though The City Of Costa Mesa chooses not to participate in this event - wear something blue, put a blue bulb in your porch light if possible for the next week and thank a cop if you see one.  Despite the controversy swirling around due to the lawsuit filed against the men and women of the CMPD by the mayor and mayor pro tem - no member of the CMPD has been charged with any crime - those brave folks continue to show up for work and do their very best for us.  Thank you to Acting Police Chief Rob Sharpnack and the men and women of the CMPD.  Let's be careful out there!