May 10-16 is National Police Week. May 15 is National Police Officer Memorial Day. This is an excellent time to reflect upon those law enforcement professionals, who have given their lives in protection of communities across the United States. We thank our local law enforcement professionals for all they do to serve and protect in our communities.
It takes a special person to be successful in law enforcement. The City of Marshalltown is fortunate to have dedicated and compassionate public safety professionals serving in our community. The men and women of the Marshalltown Police Department strive each day to provide exceptional police services. I feel fortunate to work with such a wonderful group of people. I want to take this time to thank all of the police officers, deputies, detectives, reserve police officers, 911 communications personnel, and law enforcement support staff for their collective service in our community. They all do an outstanding job and I greatly appreciate their efforts. I also wish to thank the Marshalltown Police Citizens Volunteer group for their tremendous support and their service to our community.
The Marshalltown Police Department appreciates the excellent working relationship we have with the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Steve Hoffman and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office serve our community with pride and professionalism. The citizens of Marshall County are very fortunate to have such an outstanding law enforcement organization as the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office serving in this community. Additionally, the police department enjoys a great working relationship with other law enforcement agencies working throughout Marshall County. The State Center Police Department, along with the Melbourne Police Department, are providing valuable public safety services in their communities. Last, but certainly not least, there is a great group of county conservation officers, DNR officers, state police officers, along with state and federal investigators, who routinely provide valuable law enforcement services in our community.
It is important for everyone to remember that being a police officer can be, and very often is, a dangerous profession. According to statistics taken from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund website, on average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 54 hours. Since the first known line-of-duty death in 1791, nearly 22,000 U.S. law enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice. Over the last decade, on average 163 police officers were killed in the United States each year and 50,000 were assaulted. In 2019, 135 police officers died in the line of duty. So far, in 2020, there have been 43 law enforcement deaths in the United States.
These occurrences, and the possibility of danger, weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of each police officer’s family. Spouses, parents, children and other family members are the unsung heroes for our law enforcement professionals. Without their support, officers would not be able to effectively perform their duties. I would be remiss if I failed to recognize the family members of Marshalltown police personnel for their support and tolerance every day of the year. We appreciate what you sacrifice to allow us to serve.
The Marshalltown Police Department enjoys tremendous public support. The men and women of the Marshalltown Police Department are dedicated to providing our community with high quality and professional law enforcement services. We appreciate the opportunity to work with community members every day and we remain committed to collaborating with the community to make Marshalltown a great place to live, recreate and work. This police department belongs to the community, all of you. Working together, we can all enjoy the benefits of a safe, healthy, and united community.
I am proud to serve alongside the dedicated professionals working in the police department. They all have my deep gratitude and respect. If you get a chance next week, take time to thank your law enforcement professionals for serving the Marshalltown community.
Stay Safe Marshalltown!
Michael W. Tupper
Chief of Police
For more information, please contact Police Chief Michael Tupper by calling 641.754.5771 or via email at mtupper@marshalltown-ia.gov