Emerald Greene Parsons
ECB Publishing, Inc.

The first thing a person does when he is in danger and needs assistance, is dial 911. A law enforcement officer will show up at your door, or wherever your location is, within minutes no matter what your emergency is – from robbery, domestic abuse or even the simple matters.
However, for the last several years it seems that hatred and disrespect steered towards law enforcement officers has grown tremendously. It seems as though a large majority of people now only see law enforcement as synonymous with mistreatment and racism. Yes, I understand that there are a few bad apples in the basket; but just because one apple is contaminated and guilty of some sins does not mean the whole orchard is rotten.
Every walk of life is equal to that same measurement, as well. Just because one woman is a crazy driver; doesn’t make all women crazy drivers. Just because one man hits and abuses his wife; doesn’t make all men abusers. Just because one teenager cheats on a test; doesn’t make all teenagers cheaters.
We, here at the Monticello News, would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our local law enforcement. For we feel that law enforcement officers, in general, do not get thanked enough; especially from the media, now-a-days.
Groups often gather to scream and chant offensive sayings; and curse law enforcement in protest. Yet whenever these same people find themselves faced with an emergency or when scared for their lives … who will they call for help? The very same men and women who they just hated on.
In July 2016, in Dallas, Texas, a gunman opened fire during a Black Lives Matter protest. The gunman was shooting directly at police officers, in hopes of killing as many as he possibly could. That night, as the shots rang out there were two groups of people defined – the brave and the timid. While the protesters ran from the gunshots, the law enforcement officers ran towards them. They ran towards gunshots in order to protect the very ones that were just chanting the offensive slurs.
When you wake up every morning and go to work, how do you get dressed? I put on a dress and high-heels. Some of you put on a mechanic’s uniform. Some of you put on scrubs and some of you put on a fireman’s uniform. Yet, there are a few men and women out there that have to strap a gun to their side in order to even report to their job. That gun is what hopefully keeps them alive throughout their day, so that they make it home safely to their family that night.
According to the 2022 End-of-Year Preliminary Law Enforcement Officers Fatalities Report, prepared by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 226 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers died in the line-of-duty in 2022. This is a dramatic decrease of approximately 61 percent from the 586 officers killed in 2021. The massive decrease in line-of-duty deaths for 2022 is almost entirely related to the significant reduction in Covid-19 deaths. Of these 226 deaths:
• 70 officers have died as a result of contracting Covid-19 while executing official duties. This represents a decrease of 83 percent compared to the 405 officers who died of Covid-19-related causes during 2021. Despite these dramatic reductions, Covid-19 remained the number one cause of law enforcement deaths in 2022.
• 64 officers were shot and killed in the line of duty in 2022. “This continues a disturbing trend of an increase in firearms-related deaths compared to the average number of officers killed by gunfire each year in the prior decade,” the report states. “From 2010 through the end of 2020, an average of 53 officers were killed each year by felonious assaults involving firearms. The 64 deaths by gunfire in both 2021 and 2022 continues to represent an increase of 21 percent compared to recent historical norms.”
• 40 officers died due to crashes while working along the nation’s roadways, an increase of 29 percent compared with 2021.
• 36 officers died of other causes in the line of duty in 2022 as a result of falling objects, fire-related incidents, and medical events, a 39 percent decrease from deaths under similar circumstances in 2021.
Law enforcement officers (city police, county deputies, FHP, etc) put their lives on the line EVERY DAY for us. The old saying about don’t judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes definitely holds true for law enforcement. Don’t judge or criticize that officer, until you yourself have had to strap a gun to your side, each day, in order to serve and protect total strangers. Do not criticize an officer for the fact he might take a breakfast, lunch or dinner break (while working his 12-hour shift) because his next call might be your house, while it is being robbed. Or your wife or daughter might call 911 because someone has broken in the house and is trying to rape them. He might be the one to pull you out of your burning vehicle after a car crash, or he might be the one who has to shoot the man stabbing you.
I once heard a police officer say, “We don't get paid for what we do every day - but what we MIGHT have to do.”
That, my friends, is EXACTLY what it is all about!
It is for all the above reasons, and many more, that we have dedicated this section in today’s Jefferson County Journal! We want our local law enforcement officers to know that there are still people out there who are extremely thankful for all they do.
Thank you for keeping us safe from any and all kinds of crimes; thank you for saving our pets when something happens; thank you for giving us guidance when we are lost; thank you for letting us rely on you in our worst of times; thank you for taking time away from your family to come help ours; thank you for putting your lives in danger every day so that we can live ours peacefully; and most of all thank you for putting up with all the hatred and negativity and still doing your job with a smile on your face.
Thank you - for what you do, have done, and MIGHT have to do one day.

Monticello Police Chief Fred Mosley

Monticello Police Department Chief Fred Mosley, Jr., started his career with the City of Monticello in 1984, being employed part-time while in his senior year of high school. In 1985, he became full-time and stayed full-time his whole career. He has worked in almost every department, including water/sewer, trash and street crews. Mosley served on the Monticello Volunteer Fire Department, working his way up the ladder to the rank of Lieutenant. He enrolled in the police academy in 1991 at North Florida Community College in Madison. Mosley graduated from the academy and began his first job with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO). Within a few days of starting JCSO, he was approached by Monticello City Police Department's Chief James Blount, offering a position with the department. He accepted the position and has remained to date.
Mosley was promoted through the ranks from patrol officer, Corporal, Sergeant, and Lieutenant and bid for the role of Chief. In November of 2007, Mosley was elected police chief and took office in January 2008.
During his tenure, Mosley has been involved in several significant cases, one of which even made Florida Case Law. He has worked with many departments, in and out of state, to solve cases. Even though he has worked some significant cases, Chief Mosley remembers that the little things matter most, from helping the elderly with things around the house to helping someone that has fallen in their residence.
Mosley's adult life has been dedicated to serving the residents of the Monticello community, feeling his job is not just a job, but a ministry. He has worked many deaths and had to attempt to comfort the loved ones left behind.
“I am a Christian, and I personally feel that God is going to judge me on how I treat people,” says Chief Mosley. That is why he keeps in mind the feelings of others and how he would want to be treated by someone in his position.
Mosley understands the importance of his position and knows that with great power, indeed, does come great responsibility. It's not always about the lights and sirens or the chasing of criminals but supporting the community and being there for anyone that needs a helping hand.

Jefferson County Sheriff Mac McNeill

Jefferson County Sheriff Mac McNeill has an extensive background in law enforcement, and it all began in 1989 when he joined the United States Marine Corps and served four years, leaving as a Sergeant. He obtained his Associate's Degree at Santa Fe College. In 1997, he started working at the Alachua County Sheriff's Department. He stayed there for more than seven years, and during that time, he earned his Bachelor's Degree. In 2004, he became a Special Agent at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and was assigned to Governor’s Protection Detail. McNeill worked to protect Governor Jeb Bush, Governor Charlie Christ and Governor Rick Scott.
When Jefferson County suffered the loss of Sheriff David Hobbs in 2017, McNeill was appointed to the role of Interim Sheriff by then-Governor Rick Scott. In 2018, in a special election, he was elected by the Jefferson County community to be the Sheriff, and in 2020 he ran unopposed and continued in his position.
In the last five years, McNeill has enjoyed his position serving our community. His favorite part of the job is being able to directly interact with the people that make up Jefferson County.
“I grew up in a small town,” said McNeill. “As a small-town Sheriff, you get to interact directly with the people of the town. You don't get that chance when you work in a larger county. It's something I really enjoy.”
His number one hope for Jefferson County is safety, which will encourage growth.
“Consistently low crime rates will cause the county to grow; people will feel safe moving here, building families here. I'd love to see the community grow safely,” McNeill said. “In more short terms, my hope is that everyone knows that we at the Sheriff's Office are here for them, and everyone who works here, myself included, are here to serve each member of the community fairly and with the utmost respect. I was extremely fortunate to inherit a great agency built by the Sheriffs who came before me, and I am proud to add to that legacy by growing our agency to meet the needs of our community.”
Among other things, Sheriff McNeill has found innovative ways to raise salaries for our law enforcement and corrections officers with the help of state funding. They have updated the agency’s communication and Computer Aided Dispatch systems with an appropriation from the state legislature and are constantly vigilant in the search for grants to help the agency obtain equipment to help them perform their duties. All of this was done to ease the cost to our citizens, as it did not come out of our local tax base.
“Every day I ensure our citizens are protected and we are fiscally responsible with our budget dollars.”
The job is not without difficulty, however. McNeill admits the hardest part of the job is a large part of the job itself.
“It's really difficult to watch people make decisions in their lives that you know will negatively impact them,” said McNeill. “Sometimes, you can do everything within your power to help some people make the right choices, lead them in a better direction, and still watch them make choices that hurt them and their loved ones. You watch people ruin their lives and you are kind of powerless to stop them, and that's a difficult thing.”
Another hard part of this job is not always being able to help people in the way they expect.
“Someone may need your help and you can't provide exactly what they want,” said McNeill. “I have to abide by laws myself and sometimes laws prevent people from getting their way, exactly. Some things, you just can't do. I guess the hard part about that truth is that you can't please everyone. It's my job to listen to all the requests and to make the best decision possible.”
The best part of Sheriff McNeil's job is hands-down the people.
“I like running into people while I am around town and hearing how one of my deputies had helped someone, and listening to concerns that people in the community have. I always like hearing good things, but I also like to hear what I can do, and what the Sheriff's Office as a whole can do, to serve the community to the best capacity,” he said. “Overall, I have had a very successful and enjoyable career, but being the Sheriff of Jefferson County is easily the highlight of all of my experiences, out of all of the jobs I've held. I couldn't ask for a better job.”
To Sheriff Mac McNeill, we salute you and thank you for the service and dedication you have shown to our community.