Season’s greetings from my family to yours.

Este es un momento para reunirse con los seres queridos, mirar hacia atrás en el año, y dar gracias por todo lo que tenemos. Pero mientras celebramos las fiestas, tomemos un momento para reconocer a los valientes profesionales de la seguridad pública que no tendrán ese lujo.

Mientras que la mayoría de nosotros pasará las fiestas con nuestras familias, miles de empleados de correccionales, policías, militares y otros socorristas de nuestra región se perderán las celebraciones con sus seres queridos.

Estarán de servicio, cumpliendo con su responsabilidad de mantener la seguridad pública.

As we travel to visit family, police officers and firefighters are responding to emergencies. As we sit down to Christmas dinner, the staff inside our prisons are serving dinner to inmates and 911 dispatchers are fielding emergency calls.

"Let’s take a moment to remember those working over the holidays. Their sacrifice and service to our communities allows us to enjoy the holidays in peace."

Work does not “slow down” for emergency personnel between Christmas and New Year’s. In fact, this is one of the busiest and most dangerous times for law enforcement.

The holidays can also be a grueling time for those suffering from depression and stress. The holidays are supposed to be a “happy” time, so when that is not the case, these issues can become exacerbated.

Because law enforcement and corrections workers face higher instances of posttraumatic stress disorder and other work-related mental fatigue, this can be an unfortunately difficult time of year.

So as we celebrate this year, let’s take a moment to remember those working over the holidays. Their sacrifice and service to our communities allows us to enjoy the holidays in peace.

Gracias por todo lo que haces.

En Solidaridad,

John Scearcy
Secretario-Tesorero