[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 61 (Thursday, May 14, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E864-E865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY AND POLICE WEEK, 1998

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 1998

  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, this week Congress and the nation pause to 
honor the more than half a million law enforcement officers across the 
country who put their lives on the line each day to protect us and our 
families. These dedicated men and women are prepared to give what 
Abraham Lincoln called ``their last full measure of devotion'' so that 
we can continue to enjoy the freedom and quality of life that we 
sometimes take for granted.
  Federal, state, and local police officers perform a great service for 
our communities. All too often they literally are the last thread 
between us and the forces of violence and chaos. We ask a great deal of 
the officers who protect us. We ask them to defend our homes and 
families; to patrol our roads and highways; and to bring justice to 
criminals and murderers who would otherwise prey on our society. We ask 
a great deal from this ``blue line,'' but it never breaks and is always 
there to guard us. For this we owe the nation's police officers our 
deepest gratitude and our strong support.
  Last year, 159 law enforcement officers made the ultimate sacrifice 
while working to protect us. This means that, on average, one law 
enforcement officer is killed somewhere in America nearly every other 
day. In Indiana, seven officers lost their lives--ranking Indiana fifth 
in the nation in terms of officers lost in the line of duty. Two 
officers from the congressional district I represent made the ultimate 
sacrifice last year: Paul Richard Deguch, from the South Bend Police 
Department, was murdered in the line of duty; and James Kautz, from the 
Long Beach Police Department, was killed while helping at the scene of 
a traffic accident.
  This week we pay tribute not only to those who gave their lives, but 
also to every spouse, every child, every parent, and every friend. We 
pay tribute not only to those who died, but to those who have lost 
them, to the survivors. And we pay tribute to the law enforcement 
officers who continue to go to work each day, putting their lives on 
the line, in the name of freedom.
  As we honor these heroes with ceremonies and flags standing at half-
staff, we should rededicate ourselves to ending the violence that

[[Page E865]]

has taken such a toll on these peace officers. We can best honor their 
service by seeing that today's officers have the training, equipment 
and public support they need to accomplish their dangerous mission. To 
quote Lincoln again, our greatest tribute to these fallen officers is 
to see that they ``shall not have died in vain.''

                          ____________________