[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 121 (Thursday, September 30, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S10057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            BUTLER UNIVERSITY POLICE OFFICER JAMES L. DAVIS

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to and honor the 
life of James Davis, a Butler University Police Officer who was killed 
in the line of duty on September 24, 2004. Officer Davis was shot down 
by a gunman while investigating reports of a suspicious person inside 
Hinkle Fieldhouse, the campus arena.
  On Friday morning, Officer Davis left his patrol car to seek out a 
man who had refused to exit Hinkle Fieldhouse where students were 
practicing basketball. A member of Butler's police force since January 
2003, Officer Davis, a 31-year-old husband and father of three had his 
entire life before him when he confronted the suspect, a selfless act 
that would cost him his life.
  Officer Davis graduated from Indiana University in 1995 with a double 
major in criminal justice and Afro-American studies before entering his 
career of service. After retiring from the Army as a military 
policeman, Officer Davis spent a year supervising juvenile offenders as 
a youth service officer for the Indiana Department of Transportation. 
He also worked as a drill instructor for troubled youth in a program 
called Project Impact.
  Above all, Officer Davis was a devoted family man who relished his 
time with loved ones. He dedicated his life to the noblest of causes; 
his family, his job and keeping others safe. Officer Davis leaves 
behind his wife, Veleeda and his three young children, Josiah, 8, 
Jarren, 3, and Jaedyn, who will be two in December. May his children 
grow up knowing that their father was a brave, hard-working and loving 
man.
  In the wake of his death, friends, neighbors and fellow officers came 
together to remember and celebrate the life of Officer Davis. Butler 
Police Chief David Selby described Officer Davis to the Indianapolis 
Star as ``an outstanding officer . . . and a very good friend to all of 
us,'' adding that he would be missed by many. Those who knew him well 
recall Officer Davis' dedication to his job and his efforts to help 
troubled teens. A friend remembered Officer Davis' strong belief that 
there were ``no bad children, just children who made bad decisions or 
came from a bad environment.''
  Throughout his career, Officer Davis distinguished himself as a 
policeman who genuinely cared about the students he was working to 
protect. Students recall him as someone who could be counted on for a 
safe ride home from class if he spotted them walking alone in the dark 
and by fellow officers as a devoted member of their team. His brave and 
caring actions leave behind an unforgettable impression of the kind of 
man he was.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of James L. Davis into the United 
States Congressional Record. As Officer Davis rests with God in eternal 
peace, let us never forget the courage and sacrifice he displayed when 
he laid down his life on September 24, 2004.

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