You honor all of us by your presence here today. I want to welcome each of you to what will be an annual ceremony to remember your loved one. I also want to commend the employees listed in the brochure that you received this afternoon. The planning and work committees who designed and built this memorial, as well as the memorial room inside the Academy. I think they did a great, great job in preparation for today's ceremony.
Today is an important day.
It is a day that we officially recommit ourselves to our future by remembering our past. Governor Pataki and the Legislature have made our streets safer by strengthening the laws against violent offenders. We have seen record decreases in crime all across our State. Tens of thousands of violent crimes will be avoided in the future - because these repeat felons and violent predators are behind prison walls. . . off our streets. . . No family should have to worry if their loved one is safe on the job.