Editor,

I would like to thank Island County Sheriff Mark Brown for his recent opinion piece on the dedication of local law enforcement. I come from an extended law enforcement family, and my relations are good people who got into the field to try and make the world a better place (kind of a family mission).

My mom was our town’s first “policewoman” when I was little. She typed, filed, was in charge of the school crossing in front of my elementary school, and did crowd control when the male officers marched in our town’s Memorial Day parade. She wasn’t allowed to drive a police car unless a male officer was with her. She didn’t carry a gun (it wasn’t ladylike). But she was very proud of her blues. And she saluted with pride.

My brother grew up to become a police officer and he married a police officer. I remember at their wedding, their limousine was stopped in every town they went through, and they were pulled out and patted down to stunned passersby (by all the police departments with whom they had mutual response agreements).

Law enforcement people are extraordinary; I know this firsthand. My dad and I were the “black sheep” because we went into journalism, but we loved and were totally proud of our family members in law enforcement. Over the years, we saw how their concern for the welfare of people really was what motivated them to pursue their calling.

I planted blue flowers in my flower boxes yesterday. My brother said that putting a blue light into an exterior light fixture is also a tribute.

I would encourage my fellow citizens to take the time to just say thank you to law enforcement personnel who serve us on this island.

It’s just so tragic that five officers had to die for this country to wake up (hopefully).

BARBARA MORAN

Clinton