[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 7808]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              POLICE WEEK

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, this week is Police 
Week, which has a particular resonance here in Washington, home to the 
National Peace Officers Memorial. Tuesday, there was a Blue Mass at St. 
Patrick's Catholic Church in honor of the men and women killed in 2009 
in the line of duty. On Thursday, there is a candlelight vigil in the 
memory of the 117 police officers who gave the last full measure of 
devotion to protect us from criminals.
  In my State of Pennsylvania, seven officers died in the last year. 
Among them was State Trooper Paul G. Richey, who was killed in Oil City 
in my congressional district. He left a wife and two children.
  Only Texas, Florida and California had more police deaths than 
Pennsylvania. The number of deaths from gunfire is up 21 percent, from 
38 last year to 46.
  Many of the events of Police Week help raise awareness and funding 
for Concerns of Police Survivors or COPS, a nonprofit organization. 
Proceeds help the family members of fallen officers--a worthy cause.

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