[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 16, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMEMORATING DEDICATION AND SACRIFICES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2001

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to take this opportunity to recognize 
Police Memorial Week. It is a time when the citizens of our Nation join 
the families, friends, and colleagues of America's slain peace 
officers, to honor and remember their sacrifice.
  On September 24,1789, Congress created the first Federal law 
enforcement officer, the United States Marshal. Five years later, on 
January 11th, 1794, U.S. Marshal Robert Forsyth became the first 
officer in a long list of men and women who have given their lives to 
protect and serve the communities of their beloved nation. Since then, 
over 14,000 officers have died in the line of duty, including over 
1,000 from the state of New York. The city of New York has lost more 
officers than any other department in the nation, with more than 500 
deaths. These heroes must never be forgotten, and their sacrifice as a 
reminder that the price of a safer America, a nation based on law and 
order, is being paid for by the lives of our men and women in blue.
  Earlier today, along with President Bush and attorney General 
Ashcroft, I had the opportunity to participate with the friends and 
families of our Nation's slain police officers at the 20th Annual 
National Peace Officers' Memorial Service outside the Capitol. This 
service reflects the loss which our Nation's communities have felt and 
echo our need to ensure that our nation's law enforcement community is 
provided the support and assistance necessary to protect our 
communities and our citizens.
  Although our Nation's crime rate is at its lowest level in years, on 
the average, one law enforcement officer is killed somewhere in America 
nearly every other day. Over the past 10 years, America has lost one 
police officer every 54 hours; over 1,500 men and women. In the year 
2000, 150 men and women who served our communities with the greatest 
honor, respect and dedication, gave their lives to protect our Nation's 
communities.
  Accordingly, we honor Police Memorial Week, to remind us that when a 
police officer is killed, it is not a community that loses an officer, 
it is an entire nation. We hope and pray that the senseless murders and 
crimes against our Nation's bravest men and women will one day cease; 
until then we will do everything we can in order to remember and honor 
all of our law enforcement officers who have ever given their lives.
  Let us take this opportunity to recite the names of those fallen 
heroes from New York, who, in the name of duty, gave their lives over 
the past year: Officer Raymond J. Curtis, Officer John M. Kelly, 
Officer T. Michael Kelly, Trooper Kenneth A. Poormon, and Officer David 
Alexander Regan. I would also like to pay tribute to New York City 
Police Officer Michael Buczek of Suffern who was brutally murdered in 
the line of duty in 1988. In March of this year we were able to secure 
the extradition of Pablo Almonte Telluberes, his accused killer, from 
the Dominican Republic after years of international negotiation. The 
return of this cop killer to face American justice is a tribute to the 
many law enforcement officials who pursued the case and refused to give 
up in the name of their fallen comrade. To Michael Buczek and all of 
our fallen officers, we express our nation's gratitude.
  To our fallen men and women in blue, I pledge to you, that in your 
spirit, I will continue to fight for those laws that provide our 
Nation's peace officers with the tools needed to fulfill their mandate 
of making our communities a safer place in which to live.
  I invite all Americans to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers 
Memorial in Washington which is a fitting tribute to their dedicated 
service and sacrifice.

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