On Monday evening, May 7, the 34th Annual Arizona Peace Officers Memorial Service honored those who have answered the call of duty with their lives. I was privileged to speak on behalf of a thankful State and express my deep appreciation.

The first responsibility of any government is to protect the lives and liberties of its citizens. The five men honored this year, and the 282 others whose names are engraved on the Memorial, embraced that responsibility. Their names define the very best public service:

• Officer Robert Targosz
• Officer Kevin Weeks
• Senior Patrol Officer David Webb
• Lt. David Ekstrand
• Officer Anthony Holly

Arizona is especially grateful to the officers' family members and close friends. We pray they will find the strength to bear their loss and hope they took some comfort from those who gathered for the ceremony to honor their loved ones.

Many law enforcement officers attended the service at Wesley Bolin Memorial Plaza to pay tribute to their fallen comrades. The bonds between officers are strong. Their loyalty to one another and dedication to justice are a tribute to their profession.

Across our nation, more than 800,000 law enforcement officers put on a badge and uniform every day and report for duty, knowing they are risking their lives.

That risk is all too real:

• Every nine minutes, a police officer somewhere in this country is assaulted.
• Every 27 minutes, an officer is injured in the line of duty.
• Every 53 hours, an officer somewhere in the United States is killed.

Since the first recorded police death in 1792, nearly 18,000 law enforcement officers have been killed in the line of duty in our country.

The Thin Blue Line of law enforcement is our human shield against the worst in society. The safety of our families, our neighborhoods and our communities all rely on that Blue Line. It is my job, as Attorney General, and our shared job as citizens, to reinforce that line.

The Bible tells us that "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

The officers whose names are written on Arizona’s Memorial will be remembered as the very best among us. Their devotion to duty inspires us to do justice in their memory.

I pray for a year when no additional names will be added to our Memorial. But sadly, there will be at least one new name for next year’s ceremony – Mohave County Deputy Sheriff Philip Rodriguez, who was killed April 21.

For these peace officers, the watch has ended. We must never forget their everyday heroism.

Terry Goddard