[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 91 (Thursday, May 14, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2447-S2448]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL POLICE WEEK

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the bravery and 
dedication of our Nation's law enforcement personnel. Even under normal 
circumstances, police officers put their lives on the line every day to 
defend our communities; now, as our country struggles through an 
unprecedented public health crisis, policemen and women are taking on 
even more personal risk to keep Americans safe. They deserve our 
wholehearted gratitude and respect.
  I am proud to cosponsor Senator Feinstein and Senator Graham's 
resolution designating May 10 through May 16 as National Police Week 
and emphasizing our support for the law enforcement officers across the 
United States who work to preserve our safety and security. The 
resolution also pays respect to the many police officers who

[[Page S2448]]

tragically fell in the line of duty in the last year, including Officer 
Kyle David Olinger of the Montgomery County, MD, Police Department.
  Officer Olinger served with the Montgomery County Police Department 
for 2 years and had previously served with the Reading Police 
Department for 6 years. On April 18, 2019, Officer Olinger succumbed to 
complications of a gunshot wound he sustained on August 13, 2003, while 
making a traffic stop at the intersection of Second Avenue and Spring 
Street in Silver Spring. He observed one of the passengers in vehicle 
attempting to conceal a handgun underneath the seat. He ordered the man 
to drop the weapon before a struggle ensued. The man shot Officer 
Olinger in the neck, injuring his spinal column. The subject and the 
three other occupants drove away but were all apprehended a short time 
later. The man who shot him was convicted of attempted murder and 
subsequently sentenced to life in prison. Officer Olinger was paralyzed 
below his chest because of the shooting. He was married and had two 
sons. We will not forget his courage and the courage of his brothers 
and sisters on the force.
  Police officers around the country have devoted their lives to 
protecting us, and we must do everything within our power to protect 
them, too. During the COVID-19 pandemic, that means ensuring that all 
law enforcement officers have the equipment, training, and resources 
they need to stay safe while they continue their duties. Even though 
there is an extremely contagious and dangerous virus spreading all over 
the U.S., police forces cannot simply stop responding to crimes and 
emergencies. Policewomen and men, like healthcare providers and other 
essential workers, face a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus so 
that the rest of us can be safe and healthy. As of May 11, 2020, 101 
officers have died from COVID-19. The least we can do is try to 
mitigate the risk that they face and save as many law enforcement lives 
as possible.
  There are concrete steps that we can and must take to safeguard our 
Nation's police officers during this epidemic. First and foremost, it 
is critical that we make the required personal protective equipment--
PPE--and testing universally available to the police. I have heard 
heartwarming stories about communities in Maryland donating PPE to 
their local police stations, but the bottom line is that public 
citizens should not need to take on that responsibility. The government 
should ensure that law enforcement agencies have the tools and 
equipment they need to perform their duties safely, especially during a 
period of increased risk like this one. I hope that we will 
significantly expand funding to State and local governments in upcoming 
coronavirus legislation so that they have the means to do so.
  Unfortunately, even with added protective measures, there will still 
be law enforcement officers who contract COVID-19 in the line of duty. 
We owe those brave men and women support to recover medically and 
financially from this disease. That means that we need to make workers 
compensation and comprehensive healthcare, both physical and mental, 
fully accessible to police officers and men whom COVID-19 has affected. 
We also need to recognize that serving as a police officer is much more 
dangerous now than it was 6 months ago, and it should be compensated 
accordingly; law enforcement officers deserve hazard pay for putting 
themselves in harm's way during this pandemic in order to keep our 
communities safe.
  Of course, we need to work not just during National Police Week and 
not just during this health crisis but year-round to show law 
enforcement officers our gratitude. We must do everything we can to 
protect them in the line of duty and care for them when their service 
causes them harm. I will continue fighting to support the heroes who 
bravely risk their own security to make this country a safer place for 
all of us.
  Mr. KING. Mr. President, each day, our peace officers prepare for 
work with no guarantee of what the next shift holds. They say goodbye 
to their loved ones and head out to serve and protect communities 
throughout Maine and across the country. And unfortunately, on some 
devastating days, they don't come home. These selfless citizens put 
themselves in dangerous positions day in and day out to ensure the 
safety of our people it is a commitment that evokes awe. They are 
heroes, walking among us, and when they make the ultimate sacrifice, it 
is on us to ensure that their names and deeds are not forgotten.
  So today, I rise to honor those who have made that sacrifice. This 
week, we mark National Police Week. This year's observance is, 
obviously, a bit different than usual. There will be no gathering peace 
officers from all over the country come to Washington, DC, to honor 
their fallen brothers and sisters; there will be no in-person 
candlelight vigil. But though the events are different, the goal is the 
same: to honor the memory of those who have given so much to protect 
our communities.
  This pandemic will not change our dedication to mourn their loss and 
honor their service, and this year, we will add 307 names of those who 
lost their lives in the line of duty to the National Law Enforcement 
Officers Memorial, including two peace officers from my home State of 
Maine. I want to take this opportunity to share a little more about the 
legacies these peace officers leave behind.
  First: Detective Benjamin James Campbell of the Maine State Police 
died in the line of duty on April 3, 2019. Detective Campbell was 
helping a disabled vehicle in Hampden, ME, when he was struck by a 
vehicle tire. He was just 31 years old and leaves behind a wife and 
young son. He served the Maine State Police since 2012 and was promoted 
to detective in 2017.
  When asked to describe Detective Campbell, Maine State Police Col. 
John Cote put it simply and strongly, he said Detective Campbell was 
``one of our very best.'' One of our very best--that tells you all you 
need to know about how his colleagues felt about him--an officer who 
stopped to help someone, a caring man, and a life taken much too soon.
  Second, the memorial will include the name of Perley Morrison 
Sprague, chief of the Rockport Police Department. Sadly, Chief Sprague 
suffered a major cardiac event on November 15, 1996, and died as a 
result. A son of Maine, Chief Sprague embodied a life of service. He 
was born in Bangor in 1948. He was a Coast Guard veteran, serving in 
Vietnam, and held numerous public safety positions in Maine, including 
as a member of the Portland Police Department and the Maine Department 
of Marine Resources, where he served for 21 years and worked his way up 
to chief of the bureau of the marine patrol. In 1995, he accepted his 
final position as the Rockport chief of police. Once at Rockport, he 
was described as a man with new ideas and visions for hiring and 
training. He lived a life of service, and Maine will never forget him.
  As we mourn the loss of these heroes, we must do our part to lift up 
the loved ones and communities they have left behind. May God bless 
Detective Campbell, Chief Sprague, and the others around the country 
who lost their lives. And may God continue to watch over those peace 
officers who go to work, with no guarantee they will return. They are 
examples for us all, and Maine will never forget them.

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