[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5206-S5207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE 15TH ANNUAL PEACE OFFICERS' MEMORIAL DAY

 Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, this week is National Peace 
Officers' Week, and the 15th Annual Peace Officers' Memorial Service is 
occurring today on the West Front of the Capitol.
  We Americans go about our daily routines with the comfort that we can 
do so safety. We tend to forget that this comfort is the result of the 
efforts of thousands of dedicated peace officers around the country who 
are working to protect us from crime 24 hours a day.
  While we are resting comfortably at home in the twilight hours of 
early morning, many peace officers are protecting our neighborhoods, 
patrolling our streets, and often putting themselves in harm's way. 
Their efforts are not without sacrifices. Police work does not always 
lend itself to family schedules. There are times when the children's 
weekend soccer matches are missed, when dinner is enjoyed in a patrol 
car, and when officers do not have the opportunity to tuck their 
children into bed. And, there is always the lingering anxiety of the 
spouse, worrying if tragedy will strike.
  Mr. President, I am a cosponsor of Senator Kempthorne's Senate 
Resolution 251, a resolution commemorating and acknowledging the 
dedication and sacrifices of the men and women who have lost their 
lives while serving as law enforcement officers.
  A preliminary report of the National Association of Police Chiefs 
noted that 145 law officers died in the line of duty in 1995, including 
13 in the Oklahoma City bombing.
  While I am pleased to report that Alaska did not lose any peace 
officers in 1995, Alaska has lost 28 peace officers in the line of duty 
since statehood.
  Today, we honor the memory of all fallen peace officers, and grieve 
for their families. In particular, I honor the memory of the 28 
Alaskans who paid the ultimate price.
  I will read the names of those 28 Alaskan peace officers and ask that 
their names be inserted in the Record of today's Senate proceedings. 
They are: Doris Wayne Barber, Earl Ray Hoggard, Dennis Finbar Cronin, 
Harry Edward Kier, Jimmy Earl Kennedy, Louie Gordon Mizelle, Ignatius 
John Charlie, Donald Thomas Dull, Karl William Reishus, Benjamin 
Franklin

[[Page S5207]]

Strong, Thomas Charles Dillon, Johnathon Paul Flora, Richard James 
Adair, Troy Lynn Duncan, Roland Edgar Chevalier, Jr., David Cameron 
Harris, Anthony Crawford Jones, Kenneth Grant Nauska, Gary George 
Wohfiel, Frank Stuart Rodman, Larry Robert Carr, John David Stimson, 
Gordon Brewster Bartel, Harry Biddington Hanson, Jr., Ronald Eugene 
Zimin, Robert Lee Bittick, Leroy Garvin Bohuslov, and Claude Everett 
Swackhammer.
  Mr. President, in closing I bring to the attention of my colleagues 
the Blue Ribbon Campaign organized by Concerns of Police Survivors, 
Inc., also known as COPS.
  Blue ribbons are being flown this week from patrol antennas 
nationwide to ask communities to support law enforcement, and to 
remember those officers who have given their lives in the line of duty. 
You can see them flying proudly from our Capitol Hill Police patrol 
cars.
  In keeping with this sign of support and remembrance, I urge all 
Alaskans to fly blue ribbons from their car antennas this week.

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