It's Police Week and a local law enforcement official is taking time to remember the fallen officers in our community and also raise awareness around the officers that are killed in the line of duty each year.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers says Clinton and DeWitt County has lost three officers in the line of duty over the years and annually recognizes them.

Unsurprisingly, 2020 was one of the deadliest years for officers killed in the line of duty given the civil unrest across the country. Chief Lowers says many fatalities to police officers have been attributed to COVID in the last year as well.

Police reform discussions have often turned to better community policing and Chief Lowers in his time as Chief in Clinton has been very intentional about building a strong relationship with the community.

Chief Lowers hopes if you see a police officer out this week, you take a moment to simply say thank you. He says it means more to them than the public can know.