It’s important that we, as one collective community comprising the Heart of Virginia — Farmville, Buckingham, Prince Edward and Cumberland counties — appreciate and show respect to the hardworking men and women who work minute by minute day and night to keep us safe.

I appreciate the hard work of law enforcement officers in each of the communities The Herald serves.

I believe that we have the finest men and women in uniform at the Farmville Police Department, Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland Sheriff’s Office, Prince Edward Sheriff’s Office, Longwood University Police Department and the Hampden-Sydney Police Department, along with troopers and officers with Virginia State Police and the state’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Each of these men and women — on a daily basis — put their lives on the line when they knock on a door in a rural neighborhood to serve a warrant or summons, respond to a domestic dispute in town, approach a vehicle pulled over for alleged speeding or seek out a suspicious person.

Though we observed National Police Week in mid-May, we should seek out opportunities to appreciate law enforcement officers year round, not just during a designated week.

Changes in society and other various reasons, including misguided attention and sensationalism by the national media, have made it more difficult for police to earn the trust of those they serve.

I think we’re very fortunate in this community in that we trust our law enforcement officers and, in turn, they trust and respect us. This isn’t to say that civilians are perfect and all police do the right thing 100 percent of the time. The fact of the matter is that humans make mistakes.

Another fact is the confidence, trust and respect police have for citizens and citizens have for police is something other communities should take note of. I believe our law enforcement officers treat others the way they’d want to be treated.

And we owe it to them and ourselves to do the same in living by the Golden Rule.

JORDAN MILES is managing editor of The Farmville Herald and Farmville Newsmedia LLC. His email address is Jordan.Miles@FarmvilleHerald.com.