Odessa Forum gives thanks

The Odessa Forum showed their appreciation to firefighters and police officers around the area on Friday with the 37th annual Fire Protection and Law Enforcement Day at the Odessa Police Department.

Mayor Larry Melton said the event occurs every year, but Friday meant more after Corporals Arlie Jones, Scott Gardner and Able Marquez were all killed in the line of duty last September.

"We had a wake up call on Sept. 8 and we now more fully recognize these individuals," Melton said. "This is a minor way, but an important way, to say thank you."

Melton said the firefighters and law officials all deserved thanks for doing their job.

"This day is for supporting these men and women who go out there and risk their lives," he said. "They are brave people and not everybody could do their job."

Odessa Deputy Chief Lou Orras said police officers, firefighters and other law officials feel wanted but also said sometimes they are overlooked.

"I haven't seen the appreciation lower any since that day but events like this really show that all the police officers and firefighters are appreciated," Orras said. "Many times, people sometimes don't thank us for what we do and this is kind of our day."

Odessa Forum president Rachel Dobbs said the event started when the group realized there wasn't a day to celebrate fire and law officials.

"We started this 37 years ago when we saw that nobody was showing appreciation towards the different law groups," Dobbs said. "We've been going every since that day."

Dobbs said many women from the various clubs affiliated with Odessa Forum spent long hours preparing food for the officers, state troopers and fire fighters.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Brian Burney said the day was needed to show that law officials "don't just hand out tickets."

"It's nice when people can see us in a non-official capacity," Burney said. "We're getting to meet people in a positive light today. We usually only see them during a tragedy or in an official manner."