LEO APPRECIATION, TUESDAY. Law Enforcement Officer, or LEO, appreciation day is Jan. 9.

The day was created in 2015 as a way for communities to show appreciation for the service provided. Services such as being the front-line workers and first responders to ensure public safety, address incidents involving domestic violence, substance misuse disorders, and mental health challenges, protect people from crime and violence, investigate crime carefully and thoroughly

To give the region a day to plan, we thought we would issue a short reminder of some of the organizations and departments charged with keeping the public safe throughout the region.

In McKean County, law enforcement consists of the local police departments, such as the Bradford City Police; Bradford and Foster Township Police; Kane, Port Allegany, Smethport Borough Police; as well as the Otto-Eldred Regional Police; Sheriff’s Department and the McKean County Jail staff; Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission; University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Police; and the detectives who work for the District Attorney’s office, she is also a member of the law enforcement community. There are also the K9 officers who are among those providing the essential services to the community every day.

Words of encouragement go a long way in making the days brighter for the men and women, and four-legged partners. Consider a thank you note or card to the department near your home or place of work. Or, perhaps you have a blinking sign for your business, maybe change the announcement for the day to a thank you to the officers who have kept the place safe and secure.

Other ways to support LEO is to change your social media profile picture to a message of thanks or to change the bulb in the porch light to blue for the day.