Law Enforcement Hero and Leader Lost

Today we said good-bye to a true law enforcement hero and community leader. Harry Lee lost a long battle with Leukemia Monday and was put to rest today in Jefferson Parish. I have never met Sheriff Lee personally, nevertheless I felt like I knew him. From 1979 until Monday Harry Lee served as Sheriff of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He has been an icon and a role model in the fight against crime. This man had no tolerance for criminals and in my opinion let one of the most progressive and effective law enforcement agencies in the United States.

Hundreds lined up Friday morning at a Jefferson Parish community center for the beginning of a day long funeral for longtime Jefferson Parish Harry Lee, the popular Chinese-American sheriff who died Monday after a month’s long battle with leukemia.

Politicians and at least one celebrity stopped to pay their respects and praise the colorful and controversial Lee. "He was my best friend, like a father," actor Steven Seagal said, adding that he'd spoken with Lee in the weeks leading to his death, including the day before. "He was doing great, felt great. I don't know what happened."

Many mourned the passing of this great leader, who was well respected and known for "telling it like it is". Time will tell who his replacement will be but no one will be able to fill the shoes of Sheriff Harry Lee.

He was a crusader in the fight against crime. Whatever it took to keep the streets safe in his jurisdiction is what he did. After hurricane Katrina, there was a rash of violence in Jefferson Parish. Lee responded by sending his troops out in armored vehicles vowing to stop the violence. He drew criticism from some for these actions, but tough times call for drastic measures and as usual his law enforcement tactics worked.

I wish more law enforcement officials would take a page out of Sheriff Lee's book and quit playing the political game. His decisions on how to fight crime were not always popular, but they were always effective and in the best interests of the citizens of Jefferson Parish. For that reason, the man was loved by most and hated by some, but respected by nearly all. So though Lee was laid to rest today, his legacy will live on forever.

Let's all follow his lead and declare a zero tolerance policy on crime in our neighborhoods. Step up and take and active role in prevention. Ensure the protection of family and friends. To do this you need to educate yourself and prepare your family to handle violent situations. At Guardian Self Defense we can help meet your self defense and security needs with a huge selection of top quality personal protection products like pepper spray, stun guns, tasers, personal alarms and much more. Visit us today at www.guardian-self-defense.com