[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12999]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING CHRISTOPHER GOODELL

 Mr. BOOKER. Madam President, it is with great sadness that I 
pay tribute to a New Jersey police officer who tragically lost his life 
in the line of duty last week.
  Officer Christopher Goodell, a lifelong resident of the Borough of 
Waldwick, NJ, was killed when his patrol car was struck by a tractor-
trailer early Thursday morning, July 17. He was 32 years old and will 
be greatly missed by all who knew him.
  Officer Goodell is described by friends and colleagues as having been 
friendly to everyone he met, with a gift for comedy and a kind heart. 
He was also long-committed to serving others. He joined the Marine 
Corps in the wake of September 11, 2001, earning several medals and 
commendations for his service in Iraq, including the Air Medal and two 
Humanitarian Service Medals. Upon his return, Officer Goodell never 
stopped serving--first as a dispatcher for the Waldwick Police 
Department, and later as a police officer.
  Officer Goodell embraced the responsibilities that came with being a 
police officer, and he cherished the opportunity to protect and serve 
the town that helped raise him. He was a role model for children in the 
community, and he always took the time to speak with students at the 
local high school about staying on the right track. Officer Goodell was 
eager to help others, from working to make our streets safer to once 
assisting a man who had collapsed at his gym. Simply put, his 
dedication saved lives.
  Officer Goodell is mourned by his father Mark, his mother Patricia, 
his fiancee Jillian, his sister Nicole, his niece and nephew, a large 
extended family, many friends and neighbors, fellow Waldwick Police 
Department personnel, the Borough of Waldwick, and the entire State of 
New Jersey. His spirit of service and his dedication to his community 
and to our Nation will be long remembered by those he protected and 
served. I ask my colleagues in the Senate to please join me in honoring 
this remarkable young police officer and marine, and in recognizing his 
tremendous service.

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