[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 114 (Thursday, July 14, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE LIFE AND SACRIFICE OF LORNE AHRENS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 14, 2016

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I want to 
recognize the life and sacrifice of a selfless public servant, Senior 
Corporal Lorne Ahrens. On July 7th, 2016, Lorne Ahrens was one of five 
Dallas officers fatally shot during a protest in downtown Dallas. The 
shooting was a calculated and senseless act of violence intended to 
tear our community apart. But the resilience of Lorne Ahrens' loved-
ones will hold this community together. And they find their inspiration 
in the memory of the man they loved.
  Lorne Ahrens was a Senior Corporal in the Dallas Police Department, 
where he served for fourteen years. He worked for a time in the 
dangerous and unpredictable job of serving warrants, where a simple 
knock on the door could escalate into a life-threatening situation.
  Before moving to the Dallas area, Ahrens served in the Los Angeles 
Sheriff's Department for eleven years. For part of that time, he was a 
law enforcement technician, inputting and dispatching calls to the 
station, a demanding job that required fast thinking and professional 
calm. Colleagues in the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department remember 
Ahrens as a professional who supported his teammates, and as a joyous 
personality to work with.
  The Los Angeles area was his home. He even played semi-professional 
football there. Ahrens moved to the Dallas area because he married 
Katrina Ahrens, a Texas girl and a fellow police officer. They moved to 
Texas together to start their beautiful family, which now includes a 
ten year old daughter and eight year old son.
  Lorne Ahrens was a big man. He stood at 6'5'' and weighed 350 pounds. 
Yet, anyone who saw him interact with his family knew the biggest thing 
about him was his heart. He loved to roll on the floor with his kids, 
making sure they had as much fun as possible when they were with their 
Dad. In fact, when he was not taking them fishing or to the movies, he 
often went to his daughter's school to talk about policing and safety.
  Mr. Speaker, we lost a truly honorable public servant, friend, and 
father when Lorne Ahrens' life was taken. Today, I would like to thank 
him for his bravery and sacrifice, send my love to his family, and 
honor him in Congress.

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