May 18, 2018
East Texas Baptist University held its annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday, May 17 to honor all of the public servants that serve our community and region as a part of the 2018 National Police Week.
"On behalf of the University, I express our sincere appreciation for you all," ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn said. "We acknowledge your service to our citizens within Marshall, Harrison County, and the state of Texas. You approach each day with an understanding that you could give your life for the sake of protecting others. I am reminded of God's call to Ezekiel to watch over the house of Israel. In the Old Testament, watchmen were the first ones to see and respond to attacking armies or unwelcomed travelers. You have been set apart and see what we do not. We are grateful for your protection and our prayers are with you."
A devotional book, Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby, was presented by Dr. Blackburn to Harrison County Sherriff Tom McCool, Marshall Police Department Chief Cliff Carruth, and Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Matt Beatty. The book, God's Promises for Your Every Need by J. Countryman and Thomas Nelson, was also distributed to each attending officer by ETBU Security.
"I want to thank the University - Dr. Blackburn, the board of trustees, and the staff of ETBU - for hosting this event. I believe that it is important because our officers often face negativity and rarely experience encouragement," Carruth commented. "Throughout my six months of service in Marshall, I have been shocked at the community's response and support of our force. Thank you for your much needed expression of appreciation."
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as National Police Week.
"During National Police Week, I am always reflective on and proud of my family's heritage in law enforcement. I have been blessed to have someone in my family commissioned since 1952," ETBU Vice President for Enrollment and Administrative Affairs Kevin Caffey shared. "I personally respect, and we as an institution recognize, the sacrifice each of you make in your line of work. John 15:13 says, 'Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.' Christ demonstrated this on the cross, and you all reflect His example."
The Public Servant Scholarship, a partnership between the University and the city of Marshall, provides reduced cost tuition at ETBU to all full-time Marshall Fire Department and Marshall Police Department employees, Texas DPS troopers, the Harrison County sheriff, and deputies that service the county. The scholarship covers one-half of undergraduate and one-third of graduate tuition for law enforcement officers in the county.