Mayor Sam Teresi issued a proclamation declaring Monday as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in Jamestown. Pictured, from left, are Lieutenant Fred DeGolier, Teresi, Chief Harry Snellings and Pastor Jim Read. P-J photo by A.J. Rao

It’s hardly a revelation that police officers have a dangerous and often life-altering job.

But in the midst of our day-to-day lives and activities, the sobering reality of police work can easily be forgotten or taken for granted.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, nearly 60,000 assaults on police officers occur every year, resulting in 16,000 injuries.

On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 61 hours, with 137 killed in 2016 alone.

For Pastor Jim Read, chaplain at the Jamestown Police Department, the men and women who put on the uniform and badge of law enforcement represent a special type of commitment  — and rightly deserve appreciation.

“It takes a very special man and woman … to willingly walk out into a hostile world and place themselves between dangerous criminals and innocent lives who need protection,” Read said. “Yet in this day and age, officers are never told enough times that they are appreciated. They are never told ‘thank you’ enough times or given enough smiles to offset the cursing words thrown in their face by an angry citizen.”

Many people are also unaware that officers are active members of their communities, Read said.

“You will see some of these officers coaching youth and college-level sports teams … or playing basketball games with local church youth,” he said. “The Jamestown Police Kendell Club P.B.A. actively supports our community by hosting two annual fundraising events — the golf and bowling tournaments. Through their fundraising efforts, the Kendall Club has been able to make donations in recent years to the Striders, YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Kallie’s Krusade, Wings Flight of Hope, Kids with Cancer, Blue Star Mothers, area youth soccer and baseball teams and the city Easter Egg Hunt.”

Indeed, after witnessing first-hand the contributions of police officers for years, Read said he finally decided to make police appreciation “official.”

Meeting with Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi, Read requested that the city of Jamestown recognize National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, or L.E.A.D., in which organizations and citizens nationwide show their support of law enforcement on Jan. 9 of each year.

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Teresi said he was immediately supportive of the idea and recently issued a proclamation declaring Monday as Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in Jamestown.

“This city would not be livable without our public safety forces,” Teresi said. “Quite often, we’re so busy living our lives that we don’t take the time to stop and say ‘thank you’ to the people who are working for us and helping us … and no more so than the field of public safety.”

Harry Snellings, Jamestown chief of police, said he was appreciative of the support and acknowledged Read’s tireless efforts to recognize law enforcement.

Read said the public can show its appreciation Monday in several ways including:     smiling and waving to an officer; flying a blue ribbon on your car antenna or mailbox; shining blue lights from your home wearing blue all day; sending a card of appreciation to your local police officers; and sharing your support on social media by “Liking” their Facebook page.

Most importantly, Read said, if you see a police officer, say “thank you.”