Yesterday (Sunday) marked the beginning of National Police Week in the U.S., a time for Americans to honor and thank the men and women who protect and serve our communities. In recent years, officers, deputies, and other law enforcement positions have been under increased nationwide scrutiny. Carroll Police Chief Brad Burke says that law enforcement has fortunately had tremendous support from the general public in this area for many years.
Burke adds that the Carroll Police Department has been fully staffed for close to the last four years, but they recently had two positions open and a third one they’ll be looking to fill in the near future. According to Burke, they would have had close to 50 applications for an open slot 20 years ago, but the candidate pool has dwindled significantly. Burke says that as the department’s head, he’s fortunate to have a great group of officers to oversee.
Burke says that officer quality extends to the other law enforcement agencies in the area, like the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, neighboring counties, and surrounding community departments.
National Police Week runs through Saturday, May 17. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 147 federal, state, and local officers died in the line of duty in 2024, and those individuals will be honored during Peace Officers Memorial Day, which falls on May 15.
