On Wednesday, the Selma Exchange Club honored Selma Police Department (SPD) officer Micah Hale by presenting him with the club’s “Officer of the Year” award.

Hale was ambushed in his patrol car in September of 2018 and suffered gunshot wounds from which he is still healing.

Hale, previously recognized by the Selma City Council for his sacrifice in the line of duty, joined the SPD in 2005, working both day and night shifts. Hale received public relations and anti-gang enforcement training, which Green noted was “good training to have” in a city riddled with gang violence.

From 2014 until 2017, Hale was a deputy with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department. Hale returned to the SPD in 2017, only to be shot while driving in 2018.

This award is right to have been presented to Hale.

“Me and my family, we’ve had some difficult times,” Hale said. “But I am a son of Selma and I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

We all hope he doesn’t go anywhere as well.

The state was hit with more tragedy on Sunday after Sgt. Wytasha Carter was mortally wounded in Birmingham.

Police officers go out of their way to protect us.

They go to dangerous places and run towards danger when others are running away.

Let us never forget the sacrifice that every officer makes for the rest of us.