Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (ILFOP) State Lodge President Chris Southwood has issued the following statement regarding a shooting incident on Wednesday evening near Western Illinois University during which two Macomb Police officers were wounded. The shooting suspect was arrested on Thursday after barricading himself in a house for 20 hours:
“All police officers know that any time they go to work, there’s a chance they won’t come home safely from the job. And yet these everyday heroes willingly risk their lives each day to keep us safe,” Southwood said. “Thankfully these two Macomb officers will eventually be coming home after they recover from their injuries. Unfortunately there are too many people out there with no respect for the law who won’t hesitate to take the lives of our family, friends and neighbors in uniform. This incident in Macomb is a prime example of why our laws should protect the community and punish lawbreakers, not the other way around.”
The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 34,000 active duty and retired police officers – more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Corrections Lodge 263 is the third largest lodge in the State of Illinois. Visit www.ilfop263.com for more information.
