Honoring Those Who Protect, Serve

St. Mary's and Calvert counties recognized their law enforcement officers Tuesday in ceremonies that honored current officers and those killed in the line of duty.

In speeches praising the more than 18,200 officers who have been killed nationally since 1792, top officials in both counties stressed the danger that police face every day just doing their jobs.

"You know, law enforcement is a profession that is very unique," said St. Mary's County Commissioner Daniel H. Raley (D-Great Mills). "They're on duty 24-7 to keep us safe."

Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron (R) told a crowd in Leonardtown of more than 100 law enforcement and other officials about his friend Hugh Ellis Thomas Jr., a Seminole County, Fla., sheriff's deputy who was gunned down in 1989 after responding to a call about a man involved in a fight with his girlfriend. Thomas was 24.

"We remember how he lived," Cameron said. "We owe a lasting debt to those who sacrifice their lives serving or protecting our communities."

In Calvert County, more than 100 law enforcement and other officials watched presentations from schoolchildren thanking them for the work they do.

"It kind of swells you up with pride," Sheriff Mike Evans (R) said.

Lt. Homer Rich, commander of the Maryland State Police barracks in Prince Frederick, added: "It tells us that the community cares about the job we do."

No officers have died on duty in St. Mary's, Cameron said. Two have died in Calvert, both in car crashes in the 1970s, Evans said.

Charles will have an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sheriff's Office Headquarters in La Plata to honor its sheriff's deputies and correctional officers. All of the events coincide with National Police Week, observed each year to note the efforts of law enforcement officers across the country.

Property Tax Cut Proposed

The Chesapeake Beach Town Council has proposed decreasing the town's property tax rate to 37 cents per $100 of a home's assessed value, down 7 cents from the current rate.

Mayor Gerald W. Donovan said it was one of the biggest tax decreases the town has seen in years, but it will not last for long as home values continue to decline.