[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 81 (Thursday, May 17, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2769-S2770]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

  Ms. WARREN. Mr. President, I would like to take the opportunity to 
honor the life and memory of Sergeant Sean Gannon of the Yarmouth 
Police Department, who was killed in the line of duty on April 12, 
2018.
  This week is National Police Week, a time to honor the brave law 
enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Last 
month, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts suffered a terrible loss when 
Sergeant Sean Gannon was killed while serving an arrest warrant in 
Barnstable. He was only 32 years old.
  A native of New Bedford, MA, Sergeant Gannon graduated from Bishop 
Stang High School in North Dartmouth and then earned a bachelor's 
degree in criminal justice from Westfield State University and a 
master's in emergency management from the Massachusetts Maritime 
Academy.
  After college, Sergeant Gannon jumped head first into public service, 
first serving as a public safety officer and later becoming a police 
officer with the Yarmouth Police Department, where he served for 8 
years. Sergeant Gannon loved working with police dogs and was the first 
full-time K-9 narcotics officer at Yarmouth PD. His loyal patrol dog, 
Nero, was seriously injured in the incident that claimed Sergeant 
Gannon's life, but is expected to recover and return to the Gannon 
family.
  Sergeant Gannon had a huge heart and spent his free time volunteering 
with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, traveling, enjoying the outdoors, and 
working with his hands.
  Thousands of mourners, including law enforcement officers from across 
the country, gathered to pay their respects at Sergeant Gannon's wake, 
a testament to the high esteem with which his community held him and to 
the power of his sacrifice. Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson 
called Sergeant Gannon the ``Tom Brady of our department'' and 
posthumously promoted him to the rank of sergeant.
  Our hearts are broken by the loss of Sergeant Gannon.
  Today, we honor Sergeant Gannon's service, we honor his sacrifice, 
and most importantly, we honor the life he led and the legacy he leaves 
behind.
  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the men and women 
who keep our communities and our country safe as we celebrate National 
Police Week. This week, we recognize the sacrifices of those who have 
taken a pledge to continually serve and protect families in Nebraska 
and across this Nation. Every year, thousands of families, friends, and 
comrades of fallen officers gather in our Nation's Capital to offer a 
solemn tribute to law enforcement officers.
  Today I wish to pay special tribute to the men and women who protect 
my home State of Nebraska. These officers risk their own safety for the 
safety of others. In times of crisis, they run toward danger, not away 
from it. We are forever indebted to them and so fortunate to have them.
  I also would like to express a profound sense of gratitude for those 
who have fallen in the line of duty.
  In 2017, we lost one of our own officers in Nebraska. Omaha Tribal 
Police Sergeant Curtis Blackbird was responding to a call when his car 
fatally struck construction equipment while driving through dense fog 
in the area. Sadly, traffic-related accidents are a leading cause of 
on-duty law enforcement deaths. Sergeant Blackbird served the Tribal 
communities in Macy, NE, for over 17 years as a law enforcement officer 
and earlier as an EMT. His comrades described him as someone special to 
the law enforcement community and the Tribe's own ``personal warrior.''
  This month will also mark the 3-year anniversary of Officer Kerrie 
Orozco's death. On May 20, 2015, Officer Orozco was preparing to serve 
an arrest warrant as a member of the department's metro area fugitive 
task force. When her team arrived, the suspect opened fire and 29-year-
old Kerrie was hit. Tragically, she was on her last day of duty before 
starting maternity leave to care for her newborn daughter, who had 
spent months in neonatal intensive care. Kerrie's legacy lives on 
through her husband, Hector, her daughter Olivia and her two 
stepchildren.
  On National Police Week, we honor fallen officers across our Nation 
who share a similar story. Our police officers and first responders are 
a constant reminder of bravery and sacrifice in the face of peril. As 
we remember them, we also pray for the families of fallen officers who 
are faced with their own heroic burden.
  I am proud to cosponsor the senior Senator from Iowa's Senate 
resolution commemorating National Police Week. This bipartisan 
resolution acknowledges the selfless acts of bravery undertaken by law 
enforcement officers and recognizes the need to ensure our law 
enforcement officers have the adequate equipment, training, and 
resources required to safeguard our democracy.
  Our men and women in blue serve with valor, dignity, and integrity. 
For all of our officers who keep our communities safe: Thank you. We 
are

[[Page S2770]]

grateful for all that you do. We know that the weight of what you do 
every day is heavy, we thank you for your dedication, and we honor your 
service. May God bless you and your families.
  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, today, during National Police Week, I wish 
to recognize and honor the men and women who serve as New Jersey's 
police officers and law enforcement officials. We owe a great debt of 
gratitude to the professionals working in law enforcement who risk 
their lives each and every day for the safety of all New Jerseyans. 
These American heroes answer the call when we need them the most, and 
we stand together as a grateful nation in saying thank you.
  Established by a joint resolution of Congress, National Police Week 
devotes special appreciation to those members of law enforcement who 
have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection 
of the people they serve. In a proclamation issued 56 years ago, 
President John F. Kennedy recognized the national importance of 
honoring our law enforcement professionals by designating the 15th of 
May as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date 
falls as National Police Week.
  Today I want to pay special homage to New Jersey's fallen police 
officers. These heroes made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our 
State. Though they are no longer with us, we stand proud and united 
knowing that they continue to be commemorated by their fellow New 
Jerseyans and by their fellow brothers and sisters in blue. Their 
courage, spirit of service, and commitment has allowed the people of 
New Jersey to be safe and secure. For their service and their 
sacrifice, we are eternally grateful.
  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, as we observe National Police Week, I 
rise today to recognize Sean Matthew Suiter and Sander Benjamin Cohen, 
two Maryland law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line 
of duty in 2017. It is important that we give thanks to all the men and 
women who put themselves at risk every day to protect our communities.
  Sean Suiter was an 18-year veteran who was shot in west Baltimore 
while investigating a triple homicide. Relatives describe him as an 
anchor in his family, devoted to his wife and three children who ``. . 
. was focused on trying to [. . .] raise them to be strong and good 
citizens.''
  Sander Cohen, who served as deputy chief in the Maryland Office of 
the State Fire Marshal was killed in December while assisting a 
disabled motorist. His friends and family describe him as funny with an 
infectious smile and as ``an example of the good in people.''
  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to 
support programs that provide our law enforcement officers with the 
funding and training they need to protect themselves and our 
communities.
  Police officers bear a unique burden. While we can never fully repay 
them for their sacrifices, we should all take the time to thank police 
officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect our 
safety. We must honor their sacrifice and support the families of those 
we have lost in the line of duty.

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