[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                     HONORING OFFICER VERDELL SMITH

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I express and join with the people of the 
City of Memphis who are mourning the loss of another law enforcement 
officer.
  Officer Verdell Smith, Jr., served 18 years as a Memphis policeman. 
He also served his country in the United States Navy.
  Last weekend, a man went wild in Memphis and shot three different 
people and then had his car hurtling at a high speed in the wrong 
direction on a one-way street toward a busy intersection of Beale and 
B.B. King. Officer Smith tried to clear the intersection of civilians 
to save them from tragedy. Unfortunately, Officer Smith was struck by 
the car and died.
  Officer Verdell Smith's funeral will be tomorrow. He leaves behind a 
family, particularly two children, Chelsea and Verdell, Jr.; his 
stepchildren; his grandmother; his father, O'Dell Smith, Sr.; and 
siblings.
  Law enforcement put themselves in danger all the time to protect us. 
We appreciate their service. We mourn the loss of Officer Smith, a life 
of service.

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