President Donald Trump awarded the first “Medals of Sacrifice” on Monday to three Florida law enforcement officials who were killed in the line of duty last November.
During a presentation of the medals, Trump said, “We award the first ever Medals of Sacrifice to three heroic law enforcement officers from Palm Beach County, Florida.”
According to The Post Millennial, Trump awarded the medals to Palm Beach County Cpl. Luis Paez, Jr, Deputy Sheriff Ralph “Butch” Waller Jr., and Deputy Sheriff Ignacio “Dan” Diaz.
The Post Millennial reported that Trump described the three law enforcement officials as “really close friends and colleagues” who “dedicated their lives to protecting the people of Palm Beach County and well beyond.” “They were beloved by everyone and respected by all,” Trump said. “Really, really top of the line people.”
Trump explained that the three Florida police officers were killed in a “horrific accident” in November that involved an SUV hitting them while they were helping restart a motorcycle on the side of the road. The president said he was “deeply honored to attend their memorial service last year.”
“To all of those who loved these brave men, we are deeply sorry for your loss and eternally grateful for their sacrifice, their great sacrifice,” Trump added. “We will never forget their legacy, and we will never forget the debt we owe all of these great law enforcement heroes who have given their lives to keep our community safe and make America strong again.”
READ MORE: Medal of Honor recipient reenlists with US Marines
In a Monday press release, Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) announced that he had introduced a new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, the “Medal of Sacrifice Act,” which would authorize the president to “present an official medal to local, state, or federal law enforcement officers and first responders who are killed in the line of duty.”
“Every day, law enforcement officers and first responders risk their lives while protecting our communities,” Mast said in Monday’s press release. “While we will never be able to truly thank the officers we have lost, this medal is a small way to express our eternal gratitude to those heroes and their loved ones. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”
According to Fox 13, Trump explained that his administration is considering the possibility of awarding medals to other law enforcement officials and first responders who previously died in the line of duty. “We’re looking at going back a little bit and see what we can do about that,” the president said.
