[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 135 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1896-E1897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A TRAGIC LOSS IN BOISE, ID

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL D. CRAPO

                                of idaho

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 30, 1997

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, a tragic but common event 
in many

[[Page E1897]]

U.S. cities came for the first time to the capital of Idaho, Boise. A 
police officer was killed in the line of duty--the first officer ever 
killed during the 100 years of operation for the Boise Police 
Department. The incident resulted from an altercation between two 
suspects, who were also killed in the confrontation with officers. Mark 
Stall was killed on early Saturday morning when he and another officer 
pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation. The result was a shoot-
out between two suspects and police officer. Another officer, Ron 
Winegar, was injured during the confrontation and remains hospitalized.
  Officer Stall was a remarkable young man, one driven to a career in 
law enforcement from a dangerous encounter during his teen-age years, 
when he and another young man were abducted and threatened at gunpoint. 
Boise benefited tremendously through his 3 years of service on the 
Boise Police Force. He leaves behind a wife and two young daughters and 
a community attempting to cope with a traumatic loss of one of those 
entrusted to protect and serve.
  On Wednesday, businesses in Boise closed and flags flew at half-staff 
as Boise police, for the first time, buried one of their own. A 
newspaper columnist in Boise declared that Boise lost ``its innocence 
with the death'' of Officer Stall. That may be true--it is a tragic 
circumstance, one that has been repeated far too often throughout our 
country. We should all reflect on the loss experienced by those in 
Boise and how our communities can once again become safe havens for our 
families.

                          ____________________