[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6525]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO PATROLMAN BEN CAMPBELL

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Patrolman Ben 
Campbell of Copley, OH, for being honored as a 2012 National 
Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) TOP COPS award recipient for 
the brave and heroic actions he has displayed in the line of duty.
  On August 7, 2011, Officer Ben Campbell responded to a report of 
shots fired in a Copley Township neighborhood and he found a very 
grisly scene. An armed suspect had shot eight people, killing seven, 
and was still at large in the neighborhood. Without waiting for backup, 
Officer Campbell took off on foot after the suspect. As he scoured the 
area, he heard more gunshots and ran in their direction. Suddenly he 
found himself in an open area, with no protection, but surrounded by 
trees and houses, any one of which could be concealing the shooter. 
Moments later, the suspect stepped out from behind a house and pointed 
an automatic pistol directly at Officer Campbell. Officer Campbell 
commanded the shooter to drop his weapon, and when the man refused, the 
Officer had no choice but to shoot, killing the suspect.
  It was a horrible tragedy, but without Officer Campbell's 
unhesitating courage, it would have been far worse. A subsequent 
investigation confirmed this when more than 200 rounds of ammunition 
were discovered in the suspect's car.
  For his commitment to the Copley community, as well as his tremendous 
acts of bravery on August 7, 2011, I would like to recognize and thank 
Mr. Campbell for his service and congratulate him on receiving the 
National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) TOP COPS award.

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