At a time when the United States birth rate is at an all-time low, a story about a “baby boom” at a Kentucky Sheriff’s Office is going viral. On April 30, The Boone County Sheriff’s Office in Burlington, Kentucky, shared a photo of the 15 babies born to staff members in just the past year with the caption: “We’re growing in more than one way.”
Major Philip Ridgell, the public information officer, said the idea for the photo came from the office’s auxiliary, a group of community members who support the officers. They realized that numerous staff members were having babies, but didn’t realize exactly how many until they organized a photoshoot with Kyla Mae Photography.
“We knew that a lot of our deputies were having children,” said Ridgell. “But man, when you look at that picture, it really puts it into some perspective.” He knows this phenomenon shows that the officers are committed to family and their community, saying, “Our agency is made up of men and women who have deep ties to the community. Oftentimes, many of them were born and raised here and we’re more committed and more now than one way, to this county and ensuring its safety.”
READ: Family desperate as insurance company refuses to fund twin newborns’ life-saving care
When Boone County Sheriff’s Auxiliary shared the post on its Facebook page, it wrote that its Outreach Committee was responsible for putting together the photoshoot. The babies wore matching onesies by local business Anderson Art, and all the families were given a gift from Joey & June Boutique.
According to Fox News, there were a few families not pictured, so the actual number of babies born in the last year might be closer to 20. The Sheriff’s Office only has about 180 sworn deputies, plus staff, so to have over 15 of those employees welcome a new baby around the same time is certainly unusual. However, Kentucky is known for being family-friendly and has some pro-life laws in place. Most preborn children are protected from abortion in the state, and the birth rate is slightly above the national average.
Two of the employees pictured are brothers — Brennan and Blake Dills, who take pride in being part of a law enforcement family. They are both serious about keeping their county safe but still put their families first. “That’s the number one goal: Go to work, do your best and be safe, and make sure you go home,” said Brennan.
Blake echoed that priority as well, saying, “First and foremost, you want to get home to your family and that’s the most important [thing] to remember.”
