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“We’ve lost seven officers to murder in the last 13 months, eight in the line of duty,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall told law enforcement officers packed into the Pike county Courthouse on Tuesday morning.

“Enough is enough.  We’ve got to do something; something’s got to change.”

The law enforcement officers were gathered for an appreciation breakfast, with police and deputies from surrounding counties participating.

Sheriff Russell Thomas said he called the appreciation breakfast partly in response to the latest “blue alert” that came through in the night notifying that a Kimberly officer had been fatally shot.

“When you get that, you lay there and you can’t go back to sleep,” Thomas said.

Mayor Jason Reeves said it was good to have the police together on a joyous occasion, instead of on the scene of a tragedy where they meet too often.

“We’re family and we’ve got to work together,” Reeves said.

“If it wasn’t for you, where would we be?” Marshall told the officers. “If it wasn’t for your embrace of this calling to protect and serve others, who is going to win?

“I remind you today how much we appreciate you for what you do.”