Tampa shines blue in recognition of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
TAMPA, Fla. - The city of Tampa shined blue on Monday night in appreciation of law enforcement.
The Old City Hall, the Tampa Riverwalk, and downtown bridges lit up in blue to commemorate National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day.
"It means a lot to not just me, but to all of us that we are recognized for what we do," Douglas Weaver, president of Pinellas Fraternal Order of Police said. "We don't get into the job for recognition, but it's nice when people do recognize us."
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Weaver is a retired St. Petersburg police officer, and he spent 32 years serving our community.
"I love the people I worked with, and I love the people I serve," Weaver said. "There are a lot of good people out there who really appreciate us. When times are tough, they knew it and they always were very kind about letting us know how much they appreciated us."
An especially tough day was January 24, 2011, when Sergeant Thomas Baitinger and Jeffrey Yaslowitz were both killed in the line of duty.
Weaver was part of the rescue team for the two officers. He went in and out of the house four times under heavy fire, helping to carry out Baitinger and a wounded U.S. marshal.
He said this is also a time to remember them too.
"That weighs very heavy on me and many others," Weaver said. "I'd like to remind people that we do have fallen, that we shouldn't forget them either."