Commentary by Richard Block
In our society today, there have been too many negative incidents that often mischaracterize the work of our public safety officers. The experiences of Baltimore, Ferguson, Baton Rouge and Dallas are examples of how urban tensions have boiled up, leaving these communities in a state of unrest.
These incidents leave people with negative feelings about public safety officials. Unfortunately, I am certain this makes our Fishers public safety officers more cautious, personally and professionally.
Over a year ago, I had a conversation with a friend, Tom Curry, who made a suggestion that resonated with me. As we talked, I agreed with him that it would be great to start a local movement that shows our appreciation for what these men and women do for us.
After serving as an officer in the USAF in the early 1980s, I find there are some similarities with the anti-military feelings that existed in the ‘70s. It seems the transformation of positive feelings about the military did not happen until the ‘90s.
Thankfully, most people today are very appreciative of what our military does for our country and regularly recognize these individuals publicly by saying a simple thank you or recognizing them publicly.
The public safety officials in the City of Fishers are some of the finest and most professional in the country. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to learn that within 48 hours of the killing of Henry Kim, Fishers police made an arrest of an individual, thereby bringing calm back to our community. Similarly, the skill of the Fishers Fire Dept. has resulted in achieving a life-saving 34 percent cardiac success rate, far surpassing national averages.
I am continuously impressed by the jobs our Fishers public safety officers perform. I would like to encourage all Fishers residents to simply say, “Thank you for your service” the next time you interact with our public safety officers. I know these officers would appreciate your recognition.
Richard Block is an at-large member of the Fishers City Council. He can be reached at [email protected].
