Law enforcement officers are citizens who have chosen to serve their communities. For generations, they put their lives on the line for their fellow Americans daily. However, their uniforms now make them a target for hate crimes. This has to stop.

To say that these hate crimes do not exist is appalling. These officers put their lives on the line to save others and deserve better. A gunman once murdered two officers as they were idly sitting in their squad car because they were police officers doing their jobs. That in itself is inarguably a hate crime.

Law enforcement officers are among our first responders when it comes to emergencies. They are the ones we call for help when we feel unsafe. Now they are the ones suffering from hate crimes across the country; they are the ones who need protection.

These hate crimes affect not only members of law enforcement but their families as well. Those who die in service leave families behind. Husbands, wives, and children who are traumatized by the situation. The law enforcer they were proud of, who they knew worked for the country and its people, died because of his job.

#BlueLivesMatter. We have to show our support to our hard-working police officers. This is an apolitical and race-neutral movement. Doing this does not mean that we do not support the fight for racial justice. This is another fight to be fought for the lives of our law enforcers.

The law enforcers in Georgia should feel safe while protecting its people. And with the current situation of the political climate, it is important to protect as many of our people as possible.