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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of 
3Justice, there are over one million full-time law
enforcement 
4officers serving in communities throughout the United States; 
5and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Over 50,000 of those officers serve the residents 
7of Illinois; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, Police officers have honorably chosen an 
9occupation the demands of which include nobly
and selflessly 
10assuming risks and suffering inconveniences on behalf of 
11strangers; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Every police officer reports for duty each day 
13knowing that he or she could be confronted
with 
14life-threatening danger, but still they faithfully serve their 
15communities in order to protect the lives,
defend the civil 
16liberties, and secure the safety of their fellow citizens; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Since 1791, there have been over 22,000 police 
18officers killed in the line of duty throughout
the United 
19States of America; and
 
20    WHEREAS, More than 1,000 of those officers killed in the 
 
 
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1line of duty have been Illinois police officers; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Thanks in large part to the vigilance and 
3dedication of Illinois police officers, the occurrence
of 
4violent crime in Illinois has declined precipitously over the 
5past 20 years; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Illinois State elected officials, before taking 
7office, swear or affirm an oath to support the
Constitutions of 
8the State of Illinois and the United States, including 
9fulfilling the constitutional purposes
of providing for the 
10health, safety, and welfare of the people and insuring domestic 
11tranquility; this oath
would be impossible to keep without the 
12courage and sacrifice of Illinois police officers; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, The bravery of all law enforcement officers who 
14have stood to protect the residents of their
communities shall 
15never be forgotten; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois' debt to those officers who 
17have given their lives in the line of duty can
never be 
18adequately repaid; therefore, be it
  
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
20NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
21pay tribute to all law enforcement officers of the United 
 
 
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1States and the State of Illinois, and thank them for the risks 
2they assume on our behalf each day; and be it further
  
 
3    RESOLVED, That we solemnly mourn the loss of those officers 
4who have made the ultimate sacrifice in
the line of duty.