Speaking at an event in South Florida on Thursday, U.S. Attorney General William Barr told chiefs of police gathered from around the country one message: there is no tougher job than the one they have.
“There is no higher priority in this Department of Justice than the safety and security of the American people,” Barr told the law enforcement leaders during the event. "To meet that charge, we must have your back."
The event, a symposium on officer safety and wellness hosted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in downtown Miami, drew members of police departments large and small from Texas to South Dakota.
Barr and other speakers addressed the concern of the high rate of suicide among police officers. Barr said police officers are at a higher risk of suicide than any other profession.
The nation’s top cop has come under fire recently, facing calls for his resignation after backing off from a recommended punishment for longtime President Trump confidante Roger Stone.
The Fort Lauderdale resident who was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison last week for obstructing a Congressional investigation.
