[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 39 (Wednesday, March 20, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2470]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN MEMORY OF NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICER KEVIN GILLESPIE

  (Mr. LAZIO of New York asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday, I attended 
the funeral of Kevin Gillespie, a New York City police officer from 
Lindenhurst, Long Island, who was senselessly killed last Thursday 
while attempting to arrest three carjackers in the Bronx. Officer Kevin 
Gillespie, who was only 33 years old, was the father of two young sons, 
Danny, age 7, and Bobby, age 4.
  What makes Kevin heroic is that he risked everything in an attempt to 
make the streets of New York City safer for people that he probably 
didn't even know. He had been a member of the elite Street Crime Unit 
for only 4 months. He was described by those in his unit as a hard 
worker who was good at what he did. He loved his work and loved his 
unit. The Street Crime Unit is responsible for fighting crime in some 
of the city's worst neighborhoods. He gave what Lincoln so aptly called 
the last, full measure of devotion, while trying to prevent violent 
criminals from escaping. As St. John the Apostle said in the Bible, 
``Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his 
friends.''
  I had the opportunity to meet Kevin Gillespie's mother and wife. 
There are no words that one can say in such a situation. As I looked 
into their eyes, and saw their pain, I was filled with a sense of deep 
personal loss. I was particularly moved when I learned that Kevin's 
son, Danny, wrote a note with a crayon and put it in his father's 
coffin which read, ``Dad, I'm sorry that you died. I love you. You were 
a really good dad.'' Officer Gillespie truly is a hero, and after 
having seen his beautiful family, I can tell my colleagues that his 
death diminishes us all. But what is particularly tragic about this 
case is that the individuals responsible for the death of Officer 
Gillespie should never have been on the streets in the first place; all 
three had violent criminal records. All had been convicted of armed 
robbery, and one of the three had been convicted of attempted murder. 
Each was out on parole.
  It is unconscionable to give early release to habitual violent 
criminals. Instead, we need to ensure that States have the resources to 
keep these violent offenders behind bars and off the streets for longer 
portions of their sentences. Through truth-in-sentencing, we can work 
to ensure tougher sentences for the most violent criminals, and 
hopefully avoid tragedies such as this. I do not want to have to go to 
any more funerals and see the pain in the eyes of another mother, wife, 
or child.

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