Officers hear they are defining force protecting freedom

GOHS banquet features GSP, state officials

  • Mike Galinski, third from left, received a special Award of Appreciation from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for his efforts to help bring the traffic enforcement Quad Network Banquet to McCaysville last week. Also shown are, from left, McCaysville Police Chief Mike Earley, who presented the award, and Karen Hawkins and Emily Hawkins who manage Galinski’s restaurants and music venue in McCaysville.
    Mike Galinski, third from left, received a special Award of Appreciation from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for his efforts to help bring the traffic enforcement Quad Network Banquet to McCaysville last week. Also shown are, from left, McCaysville Police Chief Mike Earley, who presented the award, and Karen Hawkins and Emily Hawkins who manage Galinski’s restaurants and music venue in McCaysville.
  • Colonel Chris Wright, commander of the Georgia State Patrol, was one of the guest speakers at the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Quad Network Banquet in McCaysville.
    Colonel Chris Wright, commander of the Georgia State Patrol, was one of the guest speakers at the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Quad Network Banquet in McCaysville.
  • Greg Staffins offers a gesture of appreciation to the crowd after receiving a special Award of Appreciation from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety at the GOHS Quad Network Banquet in McCaysville last week.
    Greg Staffins offers a gesture of appreciation to the crowd after receiving a special Award of Appreciation from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety at the GOHS Quad Network Banquet in McCaysville last week.

    “There are two defining forces that protect our freedoms, the U.S. military, and law enforcement.” Colonel Chris Wright, commander of the Georgia State Patrol, made this statement to a group of nearly 200 law enforcement officers gathered for the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) Quad Network Banquet in McCaysville.

    Wright was one of the featured speakers and offered strong words of encouragement to officers while stressing the importance of what they do.

    Wright assured those gathered that “the tide is turning,” the tide of clamoring to defund the police. He said crime rates, including the increase in the number of murders nationwide, are turning that tide.

    Speaking of the Atlanta riots as an example of a worst-case scenario, Wright said, “You stand between chaos and calm.” He made the statement as he encouraged the officers to “stay in the fight – stay strong.”

    Lance LaRusso, the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) attorney and Attorney of the Year, was the keynote speaker for the event held at Tooney’s Music Venue Thursday, September 9.

    LaRusso talked of the split-second decisions officers have to make, decisions that determine whether or not they go home to their families. He spoke of their courage saying, “guardians draw chalk lines, warriors prevent homicides.”

    “People don’t understand what service before self is, but you do,” LaRusso told the officers.

    He encouraged officers to always be smart. “You need to protect yourself legally,” he said.

    He told officers to “listen to the people who care about you.”

    Allen Poole, director of the GOHS, talked of how the last 18 months have been especially tough on law enforcement officers nationwide. But he assured the officers, “we live in the best state in the country,” partly because the three most powerful men in the state, Governor Brian Kemp, Speaker of the House David Ralston, and Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan “support the men and women in uniform.” And that support is steadfast.

    The GOHS meeting was hosted by the Appalachian Trail Traffic Enforcement Network. Coordinators were Mike Adams of the Holly Springs Police Department and Chief Mike Earley of the McCaysville Police Department.