Orange County Sheriff and Fire Authority Mourn with Baton Rouge

Lake Forest, CA — Orange County is mourning with the rest of the nation over the loss of three more police officers, this time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

"With this latest shooting in Baton Rouge, our hearts break once again," Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

The OCFA firefighters will wear black mourning bands in support of the Baton Rouge Police Officers.

"All of our firefighter's hearts are breaking for the families of the police officers that were killed and for their fellow officers they served with."

The relationship between law enforcement and the fire service is closely tied, as first responders work together often in high-pressure situations, according to Concialdi.

"Law enforcement and the fire service is a huge brotherhood, and anytime we lose one of our own, we are reminded how dangerous the job is to protect and serve the public," Concialdi said. "This senseless violence needs to stop. And we all need to come together.

"We are reminded what Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Returning violence for violence, multiplies violence,'" Concialdi concluded.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office also sent out a statement regarding the continued acts of violence against officers across the country.

"Our hearts go out to the Baton Rouge Police Department," Orange County Under Sheriff Don Barnes told the Orange County Register. "It's unfortunate that only one day after the last police officer is put to rest in Dallas, we're in mourning again for three officers killed in the line of duty. It's a tragedy.''

Barnes, a 28-year-veteran of the OCSD, said the department issued warnings to its personnel last week after the Dallas shootings, telling them to operate in a "heightened sense of awareness.''

"We have reinforced with our personnel the need to be vigilant and to be aware of our surroundings,'' Barnes told the Register. "But we have to couple that with our responsibility to the public. The threat has changed, not only do we have targeted attacks at law enforcement, but we're dealing with worldwide terror incidents that hit close to home.''

Barnes said that after Sunday's killings, the OCSD along with other municipal agencies began an evaluation of the situation to determine if there were threats directed toward Orange County.

"All indications at this point are that it is an isolated (incident) to Baton Rouge,'' Barnes told the newspaper. "Orange County law enforcement with the municipal agencies will remain diligent to protect the public.''

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Photo Credit OCFA