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BradleySheriff.com
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PUBLIC SAFETY |
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Wednesday, 15 July 2009 |
The number one statutory obligation of government is to protect its people. Public safety is fundamental. It is our first obligation. On the federal level, that includes national security. On the state and local levels ~ the levels of Tennessee and Bradley County ~ that includes effective, vigilant and well-trained emergency services and law enforcement. And, as has often been said, national security begins with local security.
Public safety for all Bradley County citizens has been our main objective here at the BCSO since I took office and it will continue to be our main objective as long as I am Sheriff. We are fortunate in that the men and women of law enforcement who serve our community have proven themselves to be professional, motivated and highly capable of fulfilling their duties. Our city and county emergency personnel are also some of the best in this region.
I understand that funding public safety can be a challenge during slow economic times, or when county revenues fall short of projections. But economies fluctuate and I am certain that with good leadership and sound economic policies, our economy will rebound. The main thing is to remain flexible, creative, resilient and united. And also to remember that we have a government “of the people.”
The American people are tough and independent. We built the greatest nation on earth through unity and hard work, through trial and error, and with the good intentions of a people who want to improve the world in which they live. What has always carried us forward is the fact that we don’t like to lose and we never give up. We adapt to meet any situation head on. Sometimes we are forced to pay with the blood of our people, such as now in Iraq and Afghanistan; and such as those whose names are engraved on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC. But we have always prevailed because, despite our political or ideological differences, we have always worked shoulder-to-shoulder to preserve our society and protect the public safety.
I believe in limited, but effective, government. I also believe the most vital area in which government should be effective is the area of public safety. Bradley County is one small component of this great nation. But we are an important component, and we have tremendous potential. Working together with determination and unity, we can build a prosperous future for ourselves and our children.
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