[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 70 (Wednesday, May 16, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H2719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1020
                   HONORING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Reichert) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the nearly 1 
million law enforcement officers who work day and night to protect all 
of us. All of us sleep more soundly at night knowing that the brave men 
and women of law enforcement are in our communities patrolling, 
protecting, and watching over our homes and businesses. They do so 
bravely and selflessly, and they do not ask for recognition. They put 
their lives on the line knowing the risks, and they take those risks on 
with unwavering courage.
  I worked for 33 years as a law enforcement officer before I came to 
Congress. I didn't do that because I wanted to be the sheriff of King 
County in Seattle. I didn't do it because I wanted to be a Member of 
Congress. I did it because I wanted to serve my community by protecting 
it and making a difference. I found that I wasn't alone. Each of my law 
enforcement colleagues carried in them the heart of a servant.
  So this week, National Police Week, is bittersweet for all of us in 
law enforcement because we remember the tragedy of our fellow officers' 
loss. Already this year, 40 officers have been killed in the line of 
duty.
  Tuesday was Peace Officer Memorial Day, a day to remember the brave 
brothers and sisters killed in the line of duty. We've lost them; 
they're gone, but they're not forgotten.
  Why do law enforcement officers come together today during this week 
in Washington, D.C., and on this memorial event? To share the 
fellowship and remember, because we made a promise. Everyone in this 
room has made a promise and everyone across this country has made a 
promise, Mr. Speaker, to never forget--to never forget the pain, the 
suffering, the feeling of great loss, the brokenness of families, the 
sadness that will touch that family for the rest of their lives. We 
made a promise to never forget not only those sad times, the feelings 
of brokenness and loneliness, but those good times, the funny stories 
we hear.
  I have two friends killed in the line of duty, one in June of 1982. 
He was my good friend and partner, Sam Hicks. He was shot and killed. 
But I remember a night when he and I, together, went to catch a robber. 
We surrounded the house, just the two of us. It was pitch dark outside, 
and all of a sudden I heard Sam scream, Run, Dave, run.
  So when Sam said ``run,'' I ran. And I ran. Then I heard a barking 
dog. I looked and saw that Sam was being chased by a large dog. Sam and 
I jumped in our police car and I peeled out, headed out of the driveway 
because the lights were coming on inside the house where the robber 
was, and I began to smell something a little bit funny. Well, what 
happened is that Sam decided he was going to mace the dog, but instead 
he maced himself.
  That's one of the stories I remember about my good friend Sam. He 
also taught me how to tie a tie. I only know one knot. It's the knot 
that I'm wearing today.
  My good friend, Mike Raburn, who went to the academy with me, saved 
my life one night. I was directing traffic in Federal Way just south of 
Seattle, and I didn't know it, but someone behind me had run up behind 
me with a knife with the knife raised in the air. Mike had just driven 
up, and the guy was running toward me to stick the knife in my back. 
Mike tackled him and saved my life.
  I remember those good times. I remember those bad times. We can never 
forget the sacrifice of our law enforcement men and women. We are all 
safe today. You can be in this Hall today, Mr. Speaker. We can all be 
here today, we can walk on the streets safe knowing that our brothers 
and sisters in law enforcement are there to protect us.
  Now, you can help them. This week we passed the Blue Alert bill. All 
you need to do is watch for those, like those AMBER Alert, the Blue 
Alert signals on your freeway signs. If an officer has been shot or 
killed, you'll see information on those signs. Call in.
  We can work together to keep the communities safe, because if they 
hurt a cop, if they kill a cop, they'll hurt somebody, somebody in the 
community. So help us by participating in Blue Alert.
  And also, I ask of you today, Mr. Speaker, and everyone listening 
across the great Nation of this United States of America to never 
forget.
  God bless you. Thank you.

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