[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 63 (Thursday, May 16, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E818]]
           REMEMBRANCE OF FALLEN TULARE COUNTY PEACE OFFICERS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 15, 2002

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join the people of Tulare 
County and the United States of America as they give thanks to those 
peace officers who have made the supreme sacrifice while working to 
enforce our laws, protect our homes, and guard our lives. Events of the 
past year have served as a poignant reminder of the selfless dedication 
to duty that peace officers demonstrate every day, and those of us who 
served in the 105th Congress were the direct beneficiaries of this 
devotion, when two Capitol Hill Police Officers fell in the line of 
duty.
  The Tulare County Sheriff's Department's Peace Officer Memorial 
Service and dedication of the Peace Officer Memorial will be held 
today, May 15, 2002, in Visalia, California. This monument pays tribute 
to the nineteen Tulare County peace officers who have lost their lives 
in the line of duty. To honor their noble sacrifices, the people of 
Tulare County have come together to donate the funds needed to make 
this lasting tribute to these brave individuals a reality.
  This monument honors eight members of the Tulare County Sheriff's 
Department, three members of the California Highway Patrol, and eight 
members of various other law enforcement agencies located in Tulare 
County, including one federal officer from the National Parks Service. 
The Tulare County peace officers who have been killed in the line of 
duty are: Deputy John N. Wren, Deputy Oscar A. Beaver, Constable Robert 
A. Carter, Officer George Owen Barlow, Officer Norman A. Kessler, 
Officer Richard L. Simpson, Sergeant Charles Garrison, Officer Richard 
W. Smith, Deputy Ross C. Cochran, Officer John R. Ellis, Deputy Vernon 
L. Cox, Deputy Carlos Magana, Officer Thomas J. Schroth, Detective 
Monty L. Conley, Detective Joe R. Landin, Deputy Michael R. Egan, 
Reserve Officer Ronald Hills, Ranger James Randall Morgenson, and 
Officer James J. Rapozo.
  In closing, I thank these and every other law enforcement officer for 
their sacrifices made to protect and serve their fellow citizens.

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