[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2573-S2574]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          National Police Week

  Madam President, we honor during Police Week the law enforcement 
officials in our State who made the ultimate sacrifice.
  This year, we will add to the National Law Enforcement Memorial the 
names of 10 Ohioans who laid down their lives last year: Officer 
Brandon Stalker, Deputy Donald Gilreath III, Natural Resources Officer 
Jason Lagore, Officer Scott Dawley, Deputy Sheriff Robert Craig Mills, 
Deputy Sheriff Boyd Blake, Corrections Lieutenant David Reynolds, 
Corrections Officer Joshua Kristek, Patrolman Sean VanDenberg, and 
Officer Shane Bartek. Each of these losses is a tragedy for a family, 
for a community, for all of law enforcement officials in this country.
  We know in too many places right now the trust between law 
enforcement and the community is too often frayed or broken.
  These Ohio lives are a reminder of the ideals we strive for--women 
and men who are true public servants in the best sense of the word, 
people who give themselves to their communities, and these Ohioans gave 
so much.
  Let me mention each one briefly.
  Officer Brandon Stalker, a 24-year-old father of two young children, 
devoted to his fiance. His first partner, Officer Brent Kieffer, said 
he had a ``constant smile and unfailing sense of humor.''
  He added that ``[e]very single day we went on patrol, Brandon was all 
about trying to serve the community. He truly wanted to make the 
community a better place.''
  That comes from his patrol colleague.
  Before joining the force, the Toledo native coached baseball at his 
former high school and was passionate about mentoring young players.
  He gave his life last January protecting his community.
  Officer Stalker, rest in peace.
  Natural Resources Officer Jason Lagore was a Chillicothe native, 
devoted husband, and father of two sons. Those who knew him talked 
about his love of his job and commitment to helping people.
  When he joined the Department of National Resources in 2005, he 
persuaded his bosses to let him bring in and train Ranger, his first K-
9 partner.
  Over the years, he grew the program, showing that department how 
successful K-9 teams could be. The department now has K-9 units all 
across the State.
  Lieutenant Hoffer watched his friend build the program from the 
ground up. He said of Officer Lagore:

       He did it all himself, and we couldn't have had a better 
     person. He was patient, a good all-around person, a good 
     officer, and he knew what he was doing.

  Last February, Officer Lagore and his K-9 partner Sarge were helping 
with a search operation at Rocky Fork State Park in Highland County, 
southwest of Columbus, when he suffered a heart attack and fell into a 
lake. He was 36 years old.
  Ohio Department of National Resources posthumously honored him with 
the Director's Award of Valor. Director Mertz said:

       Because of his courage and bravery in the face of danger, 
     there is no one more deserving of this honor.

  Rest in peace, Officer Labore.
  Officer Scott Dawley served his hometown of Nelsonville near Athens, 
a small tight-knit community. His death last August in a three-vehicle 
crash responding to a call was felt across town.
  One lifelong resident said of Officer Dawley:

       He loved his community, and the community loved him back. 
     The outpouring of grief and support was overwhelming.

  He had just gotten married in April, making a blended family of nine.
  He was a devoted father. He coached his son's baseball team. His wife 
Marissa said one of her happiest memories was watching her 9-year-old 
daughter give Officer Dawley a makeover, complete with finger and 
toenail polish.
  Officer Dawley, rest in peace.
  Officer Shane Bartek was 25 years old when he was killed during a 
carjacking at a West Side apartment complex not too far from my house 
on New Year's Eve, just 28 months after he joined the Cleveland 
Division of Police.
  His family said that from a young age, he always wanted to be an 
officer. His greatest aspiration was to become a detective.
  His twin sister Summer talked about how Officer Bartek loved to 
participate in the annual ``shop with a cop'' event during the holiday 
season, allowing a child who has been touched by law enforcement to buy 
and give Christmas presents to that family.
  One colleague said:

       He would tell me how much he wanted to touch other people's 
     lives so he could actually make an impact. And he did that.

  Officer Bartek, rest in peace.
  Last year, we also lost six officers to COVID-19: Deputy Gilreath, 
Deputy Sheriff Mills, Deputy Sheriff Blake, Corrections Lieutenant 
Reynolds, Corrections Officer Kristek, and Patrolman VanDenberg.
  While many of us were still social distancing and working from home, 
police officers, like other essential workers--grocery store workers, 
nurses, technicians, food service people, all on the frontline of our 
community, all essential workers, even though many were not paid like 
it--risked their own health to keep our communities safe.
  We can't begin to repay the debt we owe these officers and their 
families.

[[Page S2574]]

We can work to better support officers in the communities they swear an 
oath to protect.
  It is why I am working with colleagues of both parties on legislation 
to support them as they do their jobs.
  I joined my colleague Senator Grassley to introduce the Fighting 
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act. It would increase mental health 
support for police, fire, emergency medical, and 9-1-1 personnel as 
they cope with the stress of responding to crisis situations.
  These Ohioans deal with some of the most tense and life-threatening 
situations in our communities--car accidents, fires, family disputes, 
people in mental health crises.
  So often our local police and fire departments don't have the 
resources to offer comprehensive mental health support. The Grassley-
Brown bill will help us do that.
  I also introduced the Expanding Health Care Options for Early 
Retirees Act, a bill that would allow retired police officers and other 
first responders to buy into Medicare beginning at age 50.
  Police officers and other first responders wear their bodies out 
protecting our families and communities. They should have access to 
affordable healthcare when their service comes to an end.
  This simple solution would ensure access to healthcare for police 
officers who are forced to retire but aren't yet eligible for Medicare.
  I am working across the aisle with Senator Thune and others to fix 
outdated IRS rules that prevent public safety officers from making tax-
free withdrawals from retirement accounts to cover healthcare premiums.
  We need to make sure police and fire can retire with dignity. Part of 
dignity of work is retiring with dignity. At the very least, that means 
they should be able to afford the healthcare they need.
  This Police Week, let's offer more than empty words. Let's honor the 
memories of these women, these men who laid down their lives in service 
of their communities by getting their fellow officers the tools they 
need, the training they need to do their jobs and to build trust with 
the communities they are sworn to protect.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. BROWN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
scheduled vote be called immediately.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.