[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 17, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4297-H4303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING LAW ENFORCEMENT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2017, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
General Leave
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on the topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Washington?
There was no objection.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, on Monday this week, hundreds of families,
friends, colleagues, and loved ones from every corner of the country
gathered at the United States Capitol for the 36th annual National
Peace Officers Memorial Day. They were here to honor all of those names
at the memorial, 21,000 names, Mr. Speaker. And this year, 394 more
were added. Now, some of those are over past years--not this past year,
but prior years--but 394 additional names were added to the National
Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Their names will ever be etched in
our hearts and on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial, and, as I said, with 21,000 others who came before them.
People who walk by and view these names may not recognize the names
or may not know all of the names. They may have a special loved one
whose name appears on those hollowed walls. But the thing to remember
here is that these are brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and some
even grandfathers. They are real people who sacrificed their lives.
Some were ambushed and executed, and some lost their lives responding
to a call to save a life or someone who called for help. These are the
men and women who gave their lives so we could, in many cases, keep
ours.
I have a lot more to say on this, and we have some time. I am going
to yield to other Members, Mr. Speaker, who arrived here tonight to
share their stories and remember the officers who served their
communities.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to Chairman Goodlatte, chairman of the Judiciary
Committee.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my appreciation to Dave
Reichert for taking the lead on this very appropriate Special Order to
recognize our Nation's law enforcement. No one better represents that
law enforcement here in the United States Congress than former Sheriff
Reichert. And I thank him for not only his leadership in the House but
also for his service as a sheriff for many years prior to his election
to Congress.
Our Nation was founded on the rule of law. The Preamble to the United
States Constitution stated that its purpose was, in part, to
``establish justice'' and ``insure domestic tranquility.'' Every day,
law enforcement officers carry out this legacy. They fight crime,
promote justice, and keep the peace. They patrol late at night and
early in the morning, while we sleep in the comforts of our homes.
And over the past 16 years, our Nation's law enforcement officers
have often been the first to respond to terrorist attacks. On that
fateful day, nearly 16 years ago, first responders were running into
the crumbling towers as everyone else was running out. Following the
Boston Marathon bombings in April of 2013, Boston police responded
immediately to aid the wounded and implement emergency plans. That
legacy has carried on through the recent catastrophes in San
Bernardino, Orlando, and too many others.
Sadly, many law enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice
on our behalf. Just this year already, 50 law enforcement officers have
died in the line of duty, including Deputy Sheriff Curtis Allen
Bartlett of Carroll County, Virginia, who was killed in a vehicle crash
while responding to assist another deputy and a Virginia State Police
trooper who were involved in a pursuit. These are tragic reminders that
our law enforcement professionals face danger every day as they carry
out their duties.
Chillingly, in recent years, police officers have increasingly become
targets for violence and ambush-style attacks. Tomorrow, this House
will vote to ensure that State and local law enforcement officers
receive the same protections as their Federal counterparts. In fact,
this week, the House will pass more than half a dozen bills to help
officers do their jobs and return home safely.
As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, I have the privilege to work
with Federal law enforcement. All too often, we fail to recognize how
the dedicated men and women of law enforcement make sacrifices to
promote law and order and keep our neighborhoods safe. That is true at
every level: our local police and sheriff's deputies, our State police,
and Federal law enforcement officers in many different departments of
the Department of Justice and other agencies.
As a father, grandfather, husband, and citizen, the men and women in
blue have my profound respect and sincere thanks.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman. I thank him for all
his hard work in his committee to support law enforcement across the
country. I look forward to working with him on some of the law
enforcement reforms that his committee is looking at. I appreciate it.
It is an honor for me, Mr. Speaker, to lead this Special Order. I am
very humbled at the response that we have received tonight by the
Members who want to be here and talk about their law enforcement
officers in their communities.
Another one of our Members who wants to share his thoughts and
feelings is the son of a State trooper from Georgia.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins).
Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, this is a special time as a
trooper's kid. When I think about that and I think about this wall and
I think about the heroes that I am looking at standing here, I am
thinking about my own father who I just talked to a few moments ago--31
years as a Georgia State patrol. My mom is with him right now. They
have been the example of what law enforcement goes through so many
times.
I will share, in just a few more minutes, about that, but I did want
to remind you why we are here, and thinking about this memorial,
Georgia officers who have fallen in 2017 already: Deputy Sheriff
Michael Butler, Lowndes County Sheriff's Office; and Sergeant Gregory
Michael Meagher, Richmond County Sheriff's Office.
In 2016, we saw Jody Carl Smith, Georgia Southwestern State
University Department of Public Safety; Officer Nicholas Ryan Smarr,
Americus Police Department; Deputy Sheriff Justin Scott White, Newton
County Sheriff's Office; Deputy Sheriff Daryl Wayne Smallwood, Peach
County Sheriff's Office; Sergeant Patrick Michael Sondron, Peach County
Sheriff's Office; Officer Timothy Kevin Smith, Eastman Police
Department; Investigator Anthony Joseph Freeman, Bibb County Sheriff's
Office; and Major Gregory Eugene Barney, Riverdale Police Department.
And then one, Mr. Speaker, that came at a time in which the Sheriff
and I were on the Police Working Group. We were in Atlanta. We were
going through discussing the issues that police are going through and
how communities are coming together, and we got word of a shooting in
south Georgia.
At the time, we just got a name, and we weren't really sure what had
gone on, but we found out there was a shooting and there was a fatality
involved. What I came to find out later was that the gentleman who was
killed was Deputy Commander U.S. Marshal Patrick Carothers of the
Southeast Regional Task Force. He was a leader who didn't even have to
be there that day. He could have taken a step back. Instead, he led the
charge. He went in first, as a leader does, and was killed.
As it became more and more clear, I began to realize I had another
special connection to Marshal Carothers. Just
[[Page H4298]]
a few months earlier, I had the privilege of appointing his son to the
United States Naval Academy.
It is a matter of family. It is a matter of heart. As someone growing
up, who thought that it was sort of awkward having your dad come and
pick you up at school in his State patrol car, and he thought it was
pretty cute when he put you in the back seat, and the kids were
laughing. They would talk about it, and they would say: A State trooper
is coming to pick you up. I would look at them and say: It is my dad.
But what they didn't also see were the times when he would come home,
and I would wake up at night, and my dad would be coming home to change
his shirt because it was ripped and torn and bloody from where he had
been involved in a fight. What they didn't know was a young son, who
had listened to all of the things people would say about police
officers, and say: They are talking about my dad.
As one who has supported me all of my life, I cannot pass this time
up without recognizing those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and those
who continue to serve every day. It still amazes me the Georgia State
patrol has gone on. And now folks, when I look in those blue and gray
cars and the sheriff's deputy cars, and those that I grew up watching,
they were my big brothers. Now I look in there and say: Who are those
younger people riding in their cars? They are just carrying on that
blue line tradition. They are just carrying on that public service that
means so much.
So tonight, Sheriff, you have done a wonderful job of getting us
here, because these folks have families, they have kids, they have a
responsibility, and they never turn from it. I thank the families who
have lost and gave their loved ones, and I thank the families who get
up every day still with their loved ones in the fight, and I thank my
father who gave so much.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia. As he
shared his story about his father, it reminded me of my own story of
coming home to my three young kids and my uniform being torn and
bloodied, in some cases. I never really thought about what my kids or
my spouse was thinking when I came home. I was still wrapped up in the
shift that I had just come from and the struggles that I had been
through on the streets.
{time} 1900
I served for 33 years in the King County Sheriff's Office, and I
would do that job all over again, Mr. Speaker. I loved it.
But I wanted to share another story, too, of Officer Jake Gutierrez
from the Tacoma Police Department, which is a city just south of
Seattle. Officer Gutierrez tragically died in the line of duty. He lost
his life while protecting a woman from domestic violence. Jake was
supposed to exchange wedding vows with his fiancee just a few weeks
later. Instead, his fiancee, his three daughters, and his granddaughter
attended his funeral. They struggled--and I am thinking they are still
struggling today--to picture a life without him.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Gowdy). Our U.S. Attorney, prosecutor, knows law enforcement well, and
he has a story to tell about one of his officers.
Mr. GOWDY. Thank you, Sheriff. I want to start by thanking you for
your service as a law enforcement officer and in Congress. And I call
you sheriff when I pass by you because I always believe in calling
people by their highest title. And as much as it is wonderful, and I am
sure the people in your family are proud of your service in the United
States Congress, I am proudest of your willingness to sacrifice for the
people of Washington as their sheriff.
Kevin Carper was a uniform patrol officer with the Spartanburg County
Sheriff's Office. He was not a detective. He was not in management. He
was just a regular police officer like the ones we see every day in our
towns and cities.
Kevin responded to a domestic violence call. Those who are unfamiliar
with law enforcement have a tendency sometimes to refer to those as
routine calls. There is nothing routine about a domestic violence call,
and everyone in law enforcement knows it.
Off of Airport Road in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Kevin and his
partner arrived to find William Seich on the front porch of his small
home pointing a large caliber gun at his wife, Judy.
Judy was crouched down in the front yard, trying to protect herself,
trying to shield herself behind a tree, and William was pointing the
gun at her and, alternatively, pointing the gun at law enforcement who
had just arrived on the scene.
You know, Sheriff Reichert and Mr. Speaker, it all seems so easy in
hindsight. Do you shoot? Do you pull the trigger? Is the gun real? You
have split seconds to make these decisions only to have them second-
guessed for months, if not years afterward. Is the gun real? Is it
loaded?
William Seich finally turned the gun toward his wife and he shot her.
As he was turning the gun towards law enforcement, no doubt to shoot
them, they returned fire. They struck William Seich. As one officer ran
toward his fallen wife, Judy, Kevin Carper ran to the front porch to
make sure that William Seich didn't shoot anybody else.
As he got on the front porch, Mr. Speaker, he heard the cries of
children. Unbeknownst to Kevin and his partner, there were children
inside that mobile home, and the bullets from one of the officer's guns
had struck one of the children.
William Seich survived and was charged with murder. Both of the
little girls ultimately survived, although one was badly injured.
I met Kevin when we were preparing for trial. He was an essential
witness, so I needed to prepare him for what would come during this
trial. He would be second-guessed. His every move would be scrutinized.
In a very real sense, he would not only be blamed for Judy Seich's
murder, he would be blamed for shooting one of the little girls inside
that home, and then he would be blamed for not doing enough to protect
Judy Seich, not making the right split-second decision.
I tried to prepare Kevin for what would be a grueling cross-
examination, and it was clear to me his mind and heart were somewhere
else. So, finally, I said: Kevin, you didn't do anything wrong. You
didn't have a choice.
He said: I know, Solicitor Gowdy.
He had tears streaming down his face in my office.
He said: I know, Solicitor Gowdy, but I shot that little girl.
Objectively, Kevin Carper did everything right that night. He
responded to an incredibly tense domestic call. He was confronted with
a man holding a gun. Was it a real gun? Was it loaded? All of these
thoughts going through his mind; and as soon as William Seich shot and
murdered his wife, he returned fire.
Objectively, we know everything he did was right, but it didn't
matter how many times I told Kevin: You did the right thing. Deputy
Kevin Carper heard me. Father, husband, Kevin Carper had tears
streaming down his face at the thought that he would have hurt a child.
Well, we went through the trial, and he was, as you might imagine, an
indispensable witness.
Mr. Speaker, he could not have done a better job in that murder
trial. Yeah, he was a tough police officer in a uniform, but when it
came time to describe walking on the front porch and hearing the cries
of children, he became a husband and a father again, and in front of a
jury, Sheriff--and you know this is hard for police to do in front of a
jury--this tough, brave man broke down in tears, and the jury had a
chance to see the humanity of police officers. The jury had a chance to
see that ``protect and serve and defend'' part of police officers.
William Seich was convicted, in no small part, because of Kevin
Carper's help. In South Carolina, the sentencing takes place
immediately after the trial, so there was family to talk to and to
prepare them for the sentencing hearing so they could allocute on what
Judy Seich's life meant to them and what the proper punishment should
be.
Mr. Speaker and Sheriff Reichert, I wanted to tell Kevin what a great
job he had done. I wanted to tell Kevin how impressed I was with his
humanity. I wanted to tell Kevin--I intended to tell Kevin that he took
a cynical old prosecutor and he made him believe again that there are
women and men who go into this line of work for all the right reasons.
That is what I intended to tell
[[Page H4299]]
him. But in the hustle and bustle of sentencing, he slipped out the
back of the courtroom and we went on with the sentencing hearing.
But I knew that I would see him again and I would have a chance to
tell him. I would have a chance to tell his boss: You need to watch
that guy, make him a homicide detective. He is really good.
I would have a chance to tell him he did great by those little girls.
I knew I would see him again and I would have a chance to tell him
again.
And I did see him again, laying beside a roadside, shot to death
during a routine traffic stop. He was shot by a man who had been
arrested more than 30 times.
If you have ever attended an officer's funeral, the finality of that
death hits you the very hardest at the end where they do the radio
call: Deputy Kevin Carper, do you read? Deputy Kevin Carper, can you
hear us? And, of course, there is silence. And then at the end, it is:
Deputy Kevin Carper, you are clear to go home.
I never told Kevin what I should have told him. Deputy Kevin Carper,
you were a credit to law enforcement. Husband, father, Kevin Carper,
you are a credit to humanity and your family. I wish I had told you
when I should have told you.
I hope that all of my other friends in prosecution and in law
enforcement now will not wait too long to tell the men and women of law
enforcement how grateful they are for their service.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Gowdy, I have a feeling that Kevin knew anyway when
he left that courtroom how you felt. Thank you for sharing that
powerful story. I think it really clearly points to a lot of things:
One, the job is tough and you have got to make those split decisions,
and they are life and death decisions;
Two, that the human side of the police officer is not very often
recognized; that the connection to their family--as I said in my
opening statement, these are people that are fathers, they are sons,
they are sisters, they are mothers, in some cases they are
grandparents.
Sometimes we see a person just wearing a uniform, but there is a
human being inside that uniform wearing that badge and carrying that
gun to make sure that we can get home to our families and enjoy our
families.
I lost a best friend and partner in 1982. It still hurts today. If I
can get past the emotional part, I might share that story a little bit
later.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
Mr. POE of Texas. Thank you, Sheriff.
I appreciate your comments, Lawyer Gowdy; as I call him, his
comments.
I know that the outlaws in Washington State are glad you are in
Congress and you are not back in Washington arresting them and putting
them in the jailhouse where a lot of them belong. But thank you for the
opportunity to speak at this very important Special Order.
As you know, while you were a sheriff in Washington, I was down at
the courthouse in Texas, first as a prosecutor, like Lawyer Gowdy, and
then, for 22 years, I tried criminal cases, felonies, everything from
stealing to killing.
I met a lot of police, as I call them, during that time. Some of
them, as Mr. Gowdy has pointed out, gave their lives in the line of
duty. I met them in the middle of the night when they would come
bringing a warrant to me to sign so they could go arrest somebody while
the rest of us all slept. They are doing what they do best, and that is
protecting and serving our communities.
A lot of police officers--and I don't think it has been said yet--
their job is being a police officer, but most of them have other jobs
just to make ends meet. They have an extra job, as we call it, because
they don't make a lot being a police officer. None of them ever do it
for the money--none of them anywhere in the world do it for the money.
So to support their families, they have to have other jobs to do that.
I think we as a nation need to understand and appreciate that they do
what they do because they feel, and it is, an important service to our
community.
Last year, 135 police officers throughout the Nation were killed; 64
of them were shot and killed, and 21 of those were ambushed.
Among the States, my home State of Texas had the most police officers
killed. Twenty-one were killed last year in the line of duty. We also
had five canines that were killed that worked with police.
I have here a photograph--or a poster of the 21 officers killed in
the line of duty in the State of Texas last year; all races, both
sexes, all ages throughout the State of Texas. Last year, we saw
probably more than I can remember, this phenomena of hate and ambush of
police officers.
{time} 1915
On July 7, 2016, five Dallas police officers were shot and killed as
they were protecting a protest demonstration in downtown Dallas.
What occurred was a sniper who had been preparing, obviously for some
time, was watching this procession go by and he opened fire on those
police officers. Other than 9/11, this was the most deadliest day for
police officers in the United States.
Shortly before 9 p.m., a domestic terrorist--and I am not going to
give his name. His name is not important. The names of the officers are
what is important--parked his black SUV on Lamar Street. He put on his
body armor. He got his automatic weapon ready to fire, and he started
stalking Dallas police officers.
As those Dallas police officers and a DART officer--DART is Dallas
Area Rapid Transit officer--marched along with the protesters, he
opened fire on them with the intent to kill as many as he could. So
gunfire rang out and bullets struck and killed Senior Corporal Lorne
Ahrens, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patrick Zamarripa, and three
Dallas police officers were wounded, along with a civilian.
But the sniper wasn't through yet. He headed back up Lamar Street--
and that is in downtown Dallas--shooting out the windows of a nearby
college campus, El Centro College campus. During that time, he injured
two El Centro College police officers trying to get into the school.
He had continued on his quest to kill officers and he snuck up behind
a DART officer--his name, Brent Thompson--and shot him in the back and
killed him. He then turned his way on to Elm Street nearby and shot his
way back into El Centro College.
All of this took about 20 minutes. Police officers were following
this sniper, trying to capture him, but this individual went up to the
library in the school and started firing down. His next victim was
Officer Michael Smith, and he injured yet another DART officer.
He was cornered in the library. Chief of Police Brown said: During
that 2-hour-long negotiation, the individual lied to us, played games,
laughed at us, sang, and continually asked how many of those coppers
did he kill?
Eventually, the Dallas SWAT team took care of the sniper, and he was
killed.
In total, five officers were killed, seven others were wounded. And
these officers were killed for the sole reason that they wore a
uniform, that they wore a badge or a star over their heart, symbolizing
protecting us from the do-bads. That is why that badge is there over
their heart. They were willing to give their life so that we might have
peace, order, and safety; and on that day, five of them did.
In total, like I mentioned, 21 officers were killed in Texas last
year, the most in any State. I include in the Record their full
background and the departments that they worked with.
Their names are: Officer David Hofer, Patrolman David Ortiz, Trooper
Jeffrey Nichols, Border Patrol Agent Jose Barraza, Officer Endy
Ekpanya, Sergeant Stacey Baumgartner, Officer Calvin McCullers, Jr.,
Sergeant Michael Smith, Officer Michael Krol, Officer Patricio
Zamarripa, Officer Brent Thompson, Senior Corporal Lorne Bradley
Ahrens, Officer Marco Zarate, Correctional Officer Mari Johnson,
Officer Justin Ryan Scherlen, Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq, Deputy Sheriff
Kenneth Maltby, Corporal Robert Ransom, Border Patrol Agent David
Gomez, Commander Kenneth Starrs, and Detective Benjamin Marconi.
Roll Call of Heroes
1. Officer David Stefan Hofer, Euless Police Department.
End of Watch: March 1, 2016.
2. Patrolman David Ortiz, El Paso Police Department. End of
Watch: March 14, 2016.
[[Page H4300]]
3. Trooper Jeffrey Don Nichols, Texas Department of Public
Safety--Texas Highway Patrol. End of Watch: March 26, 2016.
4. Agent Jose Daniel Barraza, United States Department of
Homeland Security--Customs and Border Protection--United
States Border Patrol, US. End of Watch: April 18, 2016.
5. Officer Endy Nddiobong Ekpanya, Pearland Police
Department. End of Watch: June 12, 2016.
6. Sergeant Stacey Allen Baumgartner, Patton Village Police
Department. End of Watch: June 19, 2016.
7. Officer Calvin Marcus McCullers, Jr., Southern Methodist
University Police Department. End of Watch: July 5, 2016.
8. Sergeant Michael Joseph Smith, Dallas Police Department.
End of Watch: July 7, 2016.
9. Officer Michael Leslie Krol, Dallas Police Department.
End of Watch: July 7, 2016.
10. Officer Patricio Enrique Zamarripa (Zamarreepa), Dallas
Police Department. End of Watch: July 7, 2016.
11. Officer Brent Alan Thompson, Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Police Department. End of Watch: July 7, 2016.
12. Senior Corporal Lorne Bradley Ahrens (Lorn Bradley
Aarons), Dallas Police Department. End of Watch: July 8,
2016.
13. Officer Marco Antonio Zarate (Zah-rot-ee), Bellaire
Police Department. End of Watch: July 12, 2016.
14. Corrections officer Mari Anne Johnson, Texas Department
of Criminal Justice. End of Watch: July 16, 2016.
15. Officer Justin Ryan Scherlen, Amarillo Police
Department. End of Watch: August 4, 2016.
16. Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq (kah-leek), Austin Police
Department. End of Watch: September 4, 2016.
17. Deputy Sheriff Kenneth Hubert Maltby, Eastland County
Sheriff's Office. End of Watch: September 7, 2016.
18. Corporal Robert Eugene Ransom, Gregg County Sheriff's
Office. End of Watch: September 30, 2016.
19. Agent David Gomez, United States Border Patrol, US. End
of Watch: November 16, 2016.
20. Commander Kenneth Joseph Starrs, South Texas
Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force. End of Watch:
November 16, 2016.
21. Detective Benjamin Edward Marconi, San Antonio Police
Department. End of Watch: November 20, 2016.
K9
1. K9 Ogar, Smith County Sheriff's Office. End of Watch:
January 19, 2016.
2. K9 Ledger, La Salle County Sheriff's Office. End of
Watch: May 29, 2016.
3. K9 Rex, San Juan Police Department. End of Watch: June
2, 2016.
4. K9 Bruno, Amarillo Police Department. End of Watch: June
12, 2016.
5. K9 Mojo, Arlington Police Department. End of Watch: July
19, 2016.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, these were real people. And as Sheriff
Reichert said earlier, these people have families.
Lastly, I would like to mention one other officer whose name I read.
His name was Sergeant Stacey Baumgartner. He worked at a little bitty
police department called Patton Village in Texas, right outside of
Houston, and he was killed when his patrol car collided with another
vehicle while he was involved in a hot pursuit.
He is survived by his wife, his son, and his daughter, Chloe. This is
a photograph of Chloe taken last week in Austin, Texas, at the Texas
Peace Officers Memorial Service event. This is her. It was posted by
the police chief of Patton Village, Texas. It expresses the families,
the humanity of their fathers and their mothers, and how we as a people
need to understand the consequences when people murder our finest.
God bless the thin blue line.
And that is just the way it is.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Judge Poe for his words. When he
mentioned police officers don't do this for the money, I always
considered it a calling. And I think if you talked to any police
officer or deputy out on the street today, I think they would tell you
that they felt called to serve, and called to serve in the uniform, and
called to put their life on the line and to risk their life for others.
I was going to share the story of my partner, Sam Hicks, who was
killed in 1982. He left behind five sons. He was ambushed and shot in
the chest and killed instantly.
The killer was a man who was already wanted for murder. One of the
hardest things I ever did--I was the only homicide detective at the
scene when they captured him--was to sit in the back seat with this
killer, advise him of his rights, and get him a glass of water and
something to eat because he had been on the run for 3 days. I spent an
hour in the back seat of that cop car with this killer, knowing that
Sam's five sons no longer had a father.
Thank you for your words tonight, Judge.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Jacksonville, Florida (Mr.
Rutherford), the second sheriff in the House.
Mr. RUTHERFORD. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here this evening
with my friend, Sheriff Dave Reichert, and all of my colleagues who
stand with our law enforcement officers, their families, and their
communities for this National Police Week.
It is a time where we come together as a country to recognize the
sacrifices our police officers make for us every time they put on that
uniform.
Last week I had the privilege of attending the Nassau County
Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Memorial Service in Florida, where we
recognized those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. And in
a very special way, we honored the life of Officer Eric James Oliver,
who was killed in the line of duty on November 22, 2016.
Officer Oliver died doing what he loved, protecting and serving his
community. Before he joined the sheriff's office, Officer Oliver served
our Nation in the United States Navy. But his most important job, Mr.
Speaker, was being the loving father to his 6-year-old daughter,
Shelby.
Tonight I commend the many sacrifices made by each and every law
enforcement officer in Florida's Fourth District, but this year we give
special recognition to Officer Eric Oliver and the great loss felt by
his family, his Nassau County Sheriff's Office colleagues, and our
entire northeast Florida community.
Tonight I also want to honor in a special way two Department of
Homeland Security officers who lost their lives in service to their
country.
First, I rise to honor Special Agent Jeremy Scott McGuire. Scott
served with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, assigned to
the National Security Investigations Division at the Homeland Security
Investigations office in New Orleans, Louisiana.
On January 25, 2016, Special Agent Scott McGuire lost his life while
on special assignment in Miami, Florida. In his final assignment, he
was conducting investigations to identify, disrupt, and dismantle
transnational criminal enterprises and terrorist organizations that
threatened the security of the United States.
He is survived by his wife, Suzy, and son, Finn. Special Agent
McGuire earned an extensive list of awards and accolades in recognition
of his academic accomplishments, and his investigative successes. In
fact, posthumously, Scott received the HIS national award for top
illicit drug trade investigator of 2016.
Special Agent McGuire left behind the greatest legacy a man can live.
He was truly a man of distinction and a man of devotion to not only his
work, but also to his family and friends, and he lives on as a hero.
Second, I rise to honor fallen Officer Brian Beliso, a U.S.
Immigration and Customs enforcement officer assigned to the Fugitive
Operations Unit at the Enforcement and Removal Operations office in San
Francisco. Officer Beliso began his work with ICE in 2007. Very early
in his career, Brian distinguished himself as a charismatic leader and
a dedicated employee who always went above and beyond in all of his
duties.
In his final assignment, Officer Beliso conducted field operations to
locate at-large criminal and fugitive aliens who are in violation of
our Nation's immigration laws. He was directly responsible for
prosecutions of numerous criminal aliens who illegally reentered the
country following their deportation.
On June 8, 2016, Officer Beliso died in the line of duty. Not only
was Brian greatly respected by his colleagues and superiors, he was
also known for his selfless service to his family and community. He was
a beloved husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Christina,
and their three children, Noah, Sophia, and Bella.
Mr. Speaker, law enforcement is a noble profession, and it is a noble
profession not only because these men and women serve, but because they
serve with self-sacrifice. Officer Oliver, Officer Beliso, and Special
Agent McGuire laid their lives on the altar of freedom, and we must
never forget them and the many other men and women who have
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lost their lives so that we may experience the safety and freedoms that
we enjoy today.
On behalf of a very grateful nation, we thank them for their noble
service and we honor them for their duty and sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I didn't mention two other
officers. I had the great honor for 12 years of being sheriff of the
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in Jacksonville, Florida.
{time} 1930
During my tenure, I was deeply saddened to bury two of my officers
who died in the line of duty. They were Officer Scott Bell, who gave
his life in service in 2007, and Officer Christopher Kane in 2008.
I say again, on behalf of a very grateful nation, we thank them for
their noble service, and we honor them for their duty and sacrifice.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the sheriff for being here tonight
honoring those who fell in his community and under his command. I thank
him for his 40 years with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. I am proud
to serve with him in Congress. We need more sheriffs in Congress, by
the way.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Ferguson).
Mr. FERGUSON. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the gentleman
from Washington for organizing this event for us to thank the brave men
and women who keep our community safe day in and day out. Like him, I
have the honor and privilege of serving with Sheriff Rutherford and
Chief Demings. It is quite an honor to be with both of them in the
115th Congress.
The men and women of law enforcement are moms and dads, sons and
daughters, siblings and friends to the very people who they serve. We
ask these brave men and women to uphold the law, but so often this
seemingly straightforward mandate sends them into the most difficult
and tragic situations that our society faces: terrible accidents,
domestic disputes, and the strife that threatens the hearts of our
towns and communities. Their bravery and courage is unimaginable to
someone like me. The complexity of their jobs and the tolls that it
takes on their lives is often underestimated.
Having a safe community offers our citizens more than just peace of
mind. It offers them a place to live, grow their businesses, provide a
living for their family, and to be not only economically secure but
socially secure. Law enforcement officers play a very critical role in
community development.
Each generation of our law enforcement community evolves as society
changes and their technology and training improve. This allows them to
police our communities more responsibly, effectively, and sometimes
even to right wrongs of the past generation.
I want to highlight one specific example in my district, Georgia's
Third District.
Nearly eight decades ago, an African-American man named Austin
Callaway was lynched in the town of LaGrange, Georgia. This terrible
crime has been a dark part of the town's history for a long time.
Recently, law enforcement officials have taken steps to begin the
reconciliation process.
LaGrange Chief Louis Dekmar partnered with the president of the
county NAACP chapter, Ernest Ward, to facilitate an official apology to
the Callaway family from the police force for failing to investigate
the lynching nearly 77 years prior.
I commend Chief Dekmar and Mr. Ward for their actions to begin to
heal this old wound. I am proud to represent this community that has
engaged in the hard work of reconciliation.
Police officers like Chief Dekmar do so much more than enforce the
law. They work actively every single day to bring the communities they
serve together. I am so proud that there are such great examples of law
enforcement in the Third District of Georgia.
Law enforcement officers do more than just keep us safe. They help
our communities, they show love and compassion, they bring us together.
We owe them a debt of gratitude. I am proud that there are such brave
men and women willing to serve in all of our communities and hometowns.
I want to extend my deep gratitude for the hard work of these brave men
and women and offer a special thanks and special prayer to their
families.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee
(Mr. DesJarlais).
Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of National Police
Week and the courageous law enforcement officers who protect the great
State of Tennessee.
This week, we have thousands of police from across the country here
in Washington, D.C., to honor the valiant men and women in blue.
Among the 145 heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty in
2016, six hail from the Volunteer State. I would like to recognize
Special Agent Frazier with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation,
Sergeant Allred with the Livingston Police Department, Deputy Sheriff
Larnerd with the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Officer Moats with
the Maryville Police Department, Sergeant Smith with the Memphis Police
Department, and Deputy Sheriff Sturgill with the Humphrey County Police
Department. I stand today to recognize their service and extreme
sacrifice.
Tennessee law enforcement officers often risk their own lives to
protect the safety of others. I honor and respect these brave men and
women, and I pray for them and their families.
Mr. Speaker, during National Police Week, and throughout the year,
let us all remember to ``Back the Badge.''
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee
(Mr. Kustoff).
Mr. KUSTOFF of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I thank the sheriff so much
for his leadership tonight and throughout the course as we honor law
enforcement and police here and across the country.
I rise today to honor the brave men and women of our police forces in
the Eighth Congressional District and across the Nation.
I have got to tell you that it is challenging to find the right words
to thank those who literally lay their lives on the line for others
each and every day--most of the time for people who they have never
met.
This past Monday, I had the incredible privilege of joining the
Jackson Police Department and the Madison County Sheriff's Office at a
memorial service in Jackson, Tennessee. I was moved to see not just the
active and retired officers there but also the family members of those
who died in the line of duty.
During the ceremony, there was a wreath for all those who have lost
their lives in the line of duty in the Jackson and Madison County area.
The names of those officers, sheriff's deputies, and law enforcement
officials who laid their lives on the line, going back to the 1800s,
were read. For some of those who died many years ago, there were no
family members there. There were family members for those who died
going back 60 and 70 years ago in the line of duty.
Each of those family members were given a rose that they would place
in a wreath--a memorial for all those who have died in the line of
duty. It was very moving to see those family members and, obviously, to
hear the names of those people who have given their lives in the line
of duty.
The ceremony reminded me of the daily sacrifices that our law
enforcement make in order to protect and serve their communities, their
State, and their country. These men and women have families, hobbies,
and places of worship. They are heroes living among us who deserve our
praise each and every day.
During my time as the United States Attorney for the Western District
of Tennessee, I worked closely with our police departments and law
enforcement agencies to tackle violent crime. Our men and women in law
enforcement were on the front lines of some of the most incredibly
dangerous and sensitive situations. I feel fortunate to have seen how
their tireless work saves lives and changes communities for the better.
I also want to take time to thank those in the United States Capitol
Police here in Washington, D.C. They are some of the finest, sharpest
men and women in the country. We can rest easier knowing they are
watching closely over our Nation's capital and protecting our
democracy.
This is a pivotal time for our country. We must not forget the
significance of maintaining law and order. At
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a time when it seems so many in our society have grown distrustful and
disrespectful of law enforcement, the overwhelming majority of the
people in the country respect our law enforcement. They need to know
that they have our support now more than ever. Too often, their courage
and selfless deeds go unnoticed and unacknowledged. Whether it is
bringing violent criminals to justice, rushing to the scene of a
terrible incident, or keeping constant watch over our schools and
neighborhoods, our police officers serve with such distinction. We must
not take their service and steady presence for granted.
I have never been more appreciative of law enforcement for all that
they do to keep us safe. National Police Week is a solemn time as we
remember those we have lost. We must also celebrate our active police
officers and law enforcement who will continue to serve our country for
future generations.
I thank the sheriff for allowing me to speak this evening on behalf
of all those in law enforcement. We truly appreciate their service.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana
(Mrs. Brooks).
Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize
National Police Week. It is also Mental Health Awareness Month. I want
to thank my colleague, whom we affectionately call sheriff, who served
his great State for 33 years.
I want to express my profound gratitude to the men and women in
uniform and their families who serve and sacrifice so much to protect
our safety.
I think we also need to talk about a way that we can repay these men
and women for their sacrifice by making mental health services more
available to our law enforcement officers so that they have the
resources to handle so many difficult on-the-job situations that they
deal with every single day.
Police officers are under constant attack, often on the job, caught
literally in the crossfire of violent domestic violence disputes;
violent crime; finding and recovering bodies of murder victims, some of
whom are young children; targets for lone wolf shootings and attacks;
injecting Narcan, the overdose reversal drug, into people who have
overdosed on heroin, trying to save them.
Think about all of the different things that the men and women in
uniform have to do day in and day out. For most people, just one of
these experiences would be enough to cause trauma. But our police
officers face these and other unthinkable situations daily, sometimes
leading to significant mental health challenges for officers like
suicidal thoughts, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and
depression.
Fortunately, we have many law enforcement groups, including the
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Indiana Fraternal
Order of Police, who are working to offer our officers the support and
treatment they need to continue to protect themselves and our
communities.
Since 2010, officers in Indianapolis have been able to receive
counseling and referrals to doctors and clinicians through unique, in-
house programs staffed by fellow trained officers.
To help police departments develop and implement similar programs, I
have introduced, along with my good friend, a new Member of Congress
from Florida, Val Demings, the former police chief of Orlando, H.R.
2228, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act.
This bill will improve the sharing of Federal best practices by the
Department of Justice, the Department of Defense, and the VA with local
police departments. It will make grants available to initiate peer-
mentoring pilot programs and develop training for mental health
providers specific to law enforcement, study the effectiveness of
crisis hotlines, and get officers mental health checkups.
If our police officers are healthy, our communities will be even
safer. We owe it to all of our heroes in law enforcement across the
country to protect their mental health and well-being, and I urge
passage of this legislation.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Taylor). The gentleman from Washington
has 5 minutes remaining.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida
(Mrs. Demings), the former police chief of Orlando.
{time} 1945
Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, one of my greatest honors was serving as a
police officer in Orlando for 27 years. My husband is a sheriff in
Orange County, and he has been serving for 35 years in law enforcement.
But today I am here to talk about how we can better take care of our
law enforcement officers as they continue to take care of us.
Our law enforcement officers are called to some of the most horrific
situations and run into harm's way to protect us and our families every
day. Almost a year ago, officers responded to the Pulse nightclub
shooting, known now as the site of the deadliest mass shooting in our
Nation's history: 49 persons lost their lives that night and more were
severely injured.
Imagine the scene as the officers responded. One officer said one
thing he will never forget is hearing the sound of the cellphones
ringing as loved ones called the victims, but, of course, the victims
could not answer.
During the most dangerous and most tragic of circumstances, our law
enforcement officers may appear superhuman, but they are only human,
and responding to scenes like this--or any other horrific scene--no one
can really prepare for that. It is just one example of what our
officers face.
I believe we have a responsibility to our first responders. That is
why I am very proud to cosponsor H.R. 2228, the Law Enforcement Mental
Health and Wellness Act of 2017, with my good friend Susan Brooks from
Indiana. The bill would direct the Departments of Justice, Defense, and
Veterans Affairs, as you have heard, to share best practices that can
help law enforcement officers in tragic situations.
I am so proud to share this legislation with my good friend and urge
other colleagues within Congress to join us to make this vision a
reality. Mr. Speaker, we must do everything we can to protect the men
and women who keep our cities, our towns, and our communities safe.
Again, I thank the sheriff so much for his service, and I thank the
gentleman for helping us to honor the men and women who are so
deserving of this honor.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chief. It is an honor to serve
with the gentlewoman. I know the gentlewoman has a special quality
about her now that I heard her husband was a sheriff. The gentlewoman
is all thumbs up on my team, and I thank her for her sincere,
thoughtful comments.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. O'Halleran)
who is a former Chicago police officer.
Mr. O'HALLERAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from
Washington and the sheriff.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the men and women who
have paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our communities.
In 2016, two brave Arizona officers died as they responded to calls:
David Van Glasser, Phoenix Police Department; and Darrin Reed, Show Low
Police Department, which is in my district. Both of those men left
behind family and loved ones.
As a former police officer and homicide investigator, National Police
Week has a special meaning to me. I have lost friends, partners,
brothers, and sisters in the line of duty. I have grieved with their
families during the most difficult times, and I have experienced
firsthand the real sacrifices they make.
Each of the 135 officers from across the country who died in the line
of duty in 2016 worked to keep our neighborhoods safe. While we can
never repay the debts we owe them and their families, we will forever
remember their service.
As we look to the future, it is important to highlight the work being
done in cities and towns across the country to not only better protect
our families, but also the lives of our law enforcement officers. In
Arizona, successful community policing programs in Flagstaff, Phoenix,
and countless other cities and towns have improved relationships.
I am proud to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle on the
House Law Enforcement Caucus. I look
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forward to continuing the bipartisan work we are doing to identify and
solve the challenges facing our law enforcement community.
Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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