Two Endorsements I'm Proud I’ve Earned
When I launched my campaign for the Rhode Island Senate, I hoped to earn many endorsements.
One of the very first came from my mom.
To be fair... she didn't have much of a choice.
The endorsements I'm announcing today were different.
I'm deeply honored to receive the endorsements of the Rhode Island State Fraternal Order of Police and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, joining the earlier endorsement of North Kingstown Police Chief John Urban.
These endorsements mean more to me than simply adding another logo to a website or another name to a campaign flyer.
They represent the trust of men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting ours.
They Run Toward Danger
Every day, while most of us are trying to get home safely to our families, law enforcement officers put themselves in harm's way to protect our communities.
It is a responsibility few are willing to accept.
It is also one of the reasons we enjoy the freedoms and security that many of us take for granted.
Safe communities don't happen by accident.
They exist because people choose to serve.
My Support Didn't Begin With This Campaign
My support for law enforcement didn't begin when I decided to run for office.
Since 2011, my wife, Bried, and I have proudly volunteered each year at the Rhode Island State Police Foot Pursuit. It's one of the events we look forward to most because it gives us an opportunity to spend time with members of the law enforcement community outside of their uniforms and to thank them for their service.
Just days after launching my campaign last November, one of the very first articles I published was titled Back the Blue.
In it, I wrote:
If we expect law enforcement to protect our communities, we have an obligation to provide them with the training, equipment, technology, and resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.
I believe that today just as strongly as I did then.
Earlier this year, on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, during a time when emotions surrounding an officer-involved incident were running high, I encouraged people to reserve judgment until all the facts were known.
Due process matters.
Fairness matters.
Those principles should apply to everyone.
Safe Communities Are Prosperous Communities
One of the themes you'll continue to hear throughout my campaign is that safe communities are one of the foundations of prosperous communities.
Families want to raise their children where they feel safe.
Businesses want to invest where employees and customers feel safe.
Communities thrive when people have confidence that someone will answer the call when help is needed.
Supporting law enforcement isn't about politics.
It's about recognizing the essential role they play in making Rhode Island a place where people want to live, work, raise a family, and build a future.
A Responsibility I Take Seriously
To the members of the Rhode Island State Fraternal Order of Police...
To the International Brotherhood of Police Officers...
And to Chief John Urban...
Thank you for your trust and your confidence.
Every day, you put yourselves in harm's way so the rest of us can return home safely to our loved ones.
If I have the privilege of serving in the Rhode Island Senate, I'll do everything I can to make sure you have every opportunity to return home safely to yours.
Thank you for your endorsement.
