[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3434-3435]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING OFFICER JACAI COLSON

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the tragic death 
of a Marylander. Officer Jacai Colson of the Prince George's Police 
Department was killed in the line of duty, on Sunday, March 13, 2016. 
Officer Colson was an upstanding law enforcement officer whose death 
shocked and saddened so many in Maryland and the national law 
enforcement community. America is the great Nation it is in no small 
part because of our respect for the rule of law. Officer Colson and his 
fellow Prince George's County police officers put their lives on the 
line every day to uphold the rule of law.
  Officer Colson was only 28 years of age. Today, March 17, 2016, would 
have been his 29th birthday.
  On Sunday, March 13, 2016, the district III station in Prince 
George's County came under fire in what was a deliberate attack on law 
enforcement and on the rule of law itself. Officer Colson arrived on 
the scene. After finding himself in the middle of a firefight, Officer 
Colson had the composure to return fire. During the firefight, Officer 
Colson was shot and killed.
  Every member of the U.S. Senate, every Marylander, and every American 
should be inspired by the life of Officer Jacai Colson. Officer Colson 
was an undercover narcotics agent. He had a dangerous job with zero 
margin for error. Officer Colson did not make errors. He was a 4-year 
veteran of the Prince George's Police Department. The commander of the 
Prince George's County Police Department's narcotic enforcement 
division said of Officer Colson: ``Not only is he good at his job, he's 
that guy that you wanted on your team.'' The president of the Fraternal 
Order of Police, Lodge 89, described Officer Colson as ``. . . always 
the first person here in the morning, ready to work and put in a full 
day's work.''
  Officer Colson was a native of Boothwyn, PA. He came from a law 
enforcement family. His grandfather, Sergeant James G. Colson, Jr., 
retired from the Delaware County, PA, police department after more than 
40 years of service. Officer Colson was the quarterback of his high 
school football team. He attended Randolph Macon University, where he 
also played football. He sang in the Ujima Gospel Choir and worked in 
the admissions office and in the marketing and communications 
department. Officer Colson gave of himself to improve his community 
while he was in college. He was a member of Brothers 4 Change, a 
student organization devoted to community service, and he also 
volunteered with Habitat for Humanity.
  I am thankful to the Colson family for sharing such a promising young 
man with the people of Prince George's County. The pain they are going 
through right now is a pain no family should have to endure. Most 
tragically, they are not alone. So far in 2016, 23 law enforcement 
officers have died in the line of duty. In February, two of Officer 
Colson's Maryland colleagues from the Harford County Sheriff's office, 
Senior Deputy Mark Logsdon and Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey were killed 
responding to a call.

[[Page 3435]]

  The loss of Officer Colson represents the loss of one of the best and 
brightest among us. He could have done anything with his life, and he 
chose to protect his fellow Americans. I am thankful that Officer 
Colson was able to enrich and save the lives of so many people during 
his life. On behalf of the people of Maryland and my fellow U.S. 
Senators, I offer my deepest condolences to the family and friends of 
Officer Colson. I hope they are able to find solace in the fact that 
Jacai Colson was a true hero.

                          ____________________