[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 83 (Wednesday, May 17, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1691-S1692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
National Police Week
Ms. ROSEN. Madam President, this week marks National Police Week, a
time to recognize and honor the courageous work of men and women who
keep our communities safe. These heroes put their lives on the line to
protect our communities.
And I want to give special thanks to law enforcement officers across
Nevada who serve every day with honor and integrity. And I want Nevada
police officers to know: I have your back. We
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have your back. With the Presiding Officer, my senior Senator from
Nevada, we have your back.
That means working to see that our law enforcement officers have
access to resource, training, and recruitment support--the kinds of
things they need to do their job safely.
And we should also honor the men and women who have fallen in the
line of duty protecting our communities. These men and women were
heroes. They left behind family and friends and colleagues and
communities they served and helped to protect--men and women like Las
Vegas Metro Police Officer Truong Thai, who was tragically shot and
killed this past October while responding to a domestic disturbance
call.
Officer Thai, who came to this country as a child from Vietnam, was a
pillar of our community. He was deeply devoted to his family. He was an
experienced patrol officer who trained new recruits over the course of
his career.
Officer Thai has been described as a mentor to his colleagues. One
said: He ``did the job''--``did the job''--``for all the right
reasons.''
Officer Thai was also a friend to so many, a consummate family man.
And when he wasn't directly serving the community in uniform, he was
often coaching volleyball or out in the water, boating with his family
and friends.
And 7 months since he was murdered, Officer Thai continues to be
missed by his loved ones and the entire Las Vegas community, and no one
will forget him and his service and his kindness.
Unfortunately, Officer Thai is not the only one. Far too many
officers have been killed in the line of duty. So, today, I am also
thinking of these fallen officers and all of those who died in the line
of duty in Nevada.
To honor their lives and bravery, I ask unanimous consent to have
printed in the Record a list of names of Nevada police officers who
recently passed way and whose names have been added to the Nevada Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial and the James D. Hoff Peace Officer
Memorial.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Officer Philip Carl Closi, Las Vegas Metro Police
Department. Officer Ed Contreras, Las Vegas Metro Police
Department. Officer Ray Edward East, Walker River Paiute
Tribal Police Department. Special Deputy Marshal Jose E.
Gomez, U.S. Marshals Service. Senior Federal Air Marshal
Shawn P. Hennessee, Department of Homeland Security. Sergeant
Douglas Michael King, Las Vegas Metro Police Department.
Bailiff Gerald Raymond ``Bear'' Smith, Pahrump Justice Court.
Detective Justin Terry, Las Vegas Metro Police Department.
Officer Truong Thanh Thai, Las Vegas Metro Police Department.
Ms. ROSEN. Madam President, these officers--these brave officers--
made the ultimate sacrifice for our communities, and they deserve our
eternal gratitude.
I will continue to work with my colleagues here in the Senate on
solutions that support our police departments, the officers who serve,
and, always, their families.
I yield.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. HICKENLOOPER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.