Of the many blessings enjoyed by the people of Warren County, professional law enforcement is one we all should recognize. Our gratitude extends wider, to fire, rescue and ambulance personnel who excel and rarely, if ever, disappoint.

The thin blue line — the smattering of officers who serve as the barrier between the vast majority of citizens who are honest and the few who have chosen to be criminals — suffered another loss last week. We join all who mourn the passing of Deputy Sheriff David Lambert, who was recovering from devastating injuries in a June 24 patrol car wreck when his condition suddenly worsened and he died last week.

Lambert, who was 38, was the kind of guy you wanted on the streets. His wife, Annette, said her husband prayed at the start of every shift not for his own safety, but that he would perform his duties as God would have them done.

“The Warren County Sheriff’s Department family is devastated by his loss,” said Sheriff Martin Pace. “He was a very professional peace officer, and although he had only been with us for the past 6 months, this department and community will certainly miss him.”

It was the second loss of a dedicated law enforcement officer here in 14 months. Deputy Tom Wilson also was killed in a wreck while responding to a call.

Citizens here invest heavily in emergency services. A major portion of the local tax burden is consumed by police, fire, dispatch and ambulance services. In turn, as we have every right to expect, we have a first-responder community on which we can rely and of which we can be proud.

Honor the memory of David Lambert by saying thanks whenever you get a chance.