Too often we don't appreciate the job our police officers, sheriff deputies, highway patrolmen and others do to keep us safe. We simply see them as people driving a patrol car and carrying a weapon and a badge.
Law enforcement officers go through extensive training at the police academy to get certified. They then continue extensive continuing education and classes and training throughout their career.
Being a cop 30 or 40 years ago compared to being a cop today are like night and day.
Last week we sat down with East Brewton Police Chief Kenny Brazile to discuss his recent 'graduation' from the Certified Law Enforcement Executive Program, which we learned is the highest honor given and a program that took Brazile about 10 years to complete. We also learned that during that time, while working full time, he received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Troy University and in May will receive his master's in criminal justice from Troy.
Brazile also told us he's not through and wants to attend and graduate from the FBI National Academy.
We're singling out Brazile because that's who we talked to. But law enforcement officers across this area continue to work their full time job every day while continuing their education to become better police officers.
They become better police officers to not only help themselves, but to help us in the community. Police too often get a bad wrap for doing what they love (and are trained to do), which is to make our lives safer.
Hats off to Brazile for having the drive to add this knowledge to his career and hats off to all law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to make our lives a little more safe.
