Law enforcement procession lasts 2-plus hours

The law enforcement procession in support of fallen Pope County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Owen lasted over two hours this afternoon in downtown Glenwood. It was one of the most overwhelming displays of solidary I have ever seen in my life. Law enforcement was in attendance from all corners of Minnesota and nearly every county and municipality in the state. LEOs from neighboring states were also there in squad cars/SUVs, and I even learned that police officers from as far as New York and Arizona attended Deputy Owen's funeral this morning at Minnewaska Area high school.

Additional coverage has been posted to the Bonanza Valley Voice newspaper website. An article was posted today that includes video from the funeral procession for Deputy Owens. Link: https://www.bonanzavalleyvoice.com.

I did not see this coming: my article on Governor Tim Walz has received over 30,000 views in a little over 24 hours. It is far and away the most-viewed web article I've ever posted in the eight or so years since I created the newspaper's website.

In a country where many elected officials and government bureaucrats spout derisive and corrosive statements to the public about police officers, it's more important than ever that we show support for the Thin Blue Line and remind the world that working in law enforcement is still a noble and honored profession.