[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 64 (Friday, May 17, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E849]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           REMEMBRANCE OF FALLEN TULARE COUNTY PEACE OFFICERS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. WILLIAM M. THOMAS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2002

  Mr. THOMAS of California. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to join the 
people of Tulare County and the United States of America in thanking 
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 was held 
yesterday, 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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