The Medford Police Department says it’s been busier than usual, with 7 homicides in 2021, well above the average of 1 or 2 per year.
For Corporal Ericka Doran, protecting the City of Medford for the last 12 years is a duty she takes very seriously.
She says people have become less inclined to listen to orders and more inclined to fight with officers.
“When I come into work, my mindset is that I’m coming home at the end of the day. Has law enforcement become scarier over the years? Yeah, absolutely it has,” she said.
She says she originally decided to become a police officer because of the fast-paced environment, “When I was younger, I would say that [it was] the excitement of the career and everything constantly changing, and [after] being in the law enforcement career it’s become more about serving my community. I love giving back to my community, protecting them, and being a part of community involvement.”
Corporal Doran says knowing that people recognize what she does on this day is special, but says she’s grateful to live in a community that is already so supportive of law enforcement.
“We have great community support and they show it by telling us thank you, and I will tell them thank you in return, we appreciate that,” Cpl. Doran said.
The appreciation day began in 2015 to thank officers across the country for the work they do.
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