[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 14, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H5444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING SHELBY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S OFFICER TIM BRACKEEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to deliver a speech to this 
body that no one wants to deliver. It is with a heavy heart that I 
speak today in honor of Tim Brackeen, an officer with the Shelby, North 
Carolina, Police Department, who was mortally wounded in the line of 
duty this past weekend.
  Officer Brackeen was doing his job, keeping our community safe, when 
he was shot in the line of duty very early Saturday morning. He passed 
away from his injuries on Monday.
  Officer Brackeen was only 38 years old. He leaves behind his wife, 
Mikel, and a 4-year-old daughter, Daphne.
  Officer Brackeen was a law enforcement officer who loved his job and 
loved what he was doing. He had been with the Shelby Police Department 
since 2004 and, prior to that, was a detention officer with the 
Cleveland County Sheriff's Office. For the past several years, he had 
worked as a K-9 officer with his partner, Ciko. He had a passion for 
his work and was well-known throughout the community. Officer Brackeen 
and his dog, Ciko, often did demonstrations to show how officers and 
their K-9 partners work together to keep us safe.
  In 2012, Officer Brackeen's service and dedication to his duty was 
recognized as he was named the Shelby Police Officer of the Year. The 
city of Shelby is a truly special place, and so was this police 
officer.
  It was Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford who summed up the officer 
best when he said: ``Tim was a great person. If you want to know what 
Tim was like, just look around this town.''
  He is exactly right because, Mr. Speaker, Shelby is that very special 
place. It is a tight-knit community that still exhibits what it really 
means to be a community. That was clear Monday night when hundreds and 
hundreds of people in this small town representing a variety of 
backgrounds packed the Court Square to pray for Officer Brackeen's 
family and his fellow officers. It is clear as you drive around Shelby 
and the rest of Cleveland County and see the black and blue ribbons and 
the messages of sympathy that adorn the windows of businesses and 
homes. It was clear yesterday as police officers, firefighters, and 
everyday citizens lined the streets and overpasses to pay respect to 
this fallen law enforcement officer as the procession traveled to the 
funeral home.
  This is not the first time I have spoken on the House floor about the 
Shelby Police Department. In June of 2015, after the tragedy in 
Charleston, that horrific violence that occurred there, it was the 
Shelby Police Department that apprehended that vile shooter in that 
event. What we saw then was a community where faith leaders from every 
part of that region worked hand in hand with law enforcement to replace 
the divisions we see in other parts of the country with conversation 
and understanding that represents the best of what is in western North 
Carolina. I have no doubt Shelby will respond to this tragedy in 
similar fashion.
  With the perpetrator of this heinous crime captured, our focus turns 
solely to paying tribute to Officer Brackeen and his life of service.
  Mr. Speaker, I extend my condolences to Officer Brackeen's family and 
to the entire Shelby Police Department as they mourn this tragic loss. 
May we keep his family, fellow officers, and all our men and women in 
blue in our prayers.

                          ____________________