[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12108-12109]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CORPORAL BILL COOPER

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise to honor the service and sacrifice 
of Corporal Bill Cooper of the Sebastian County Sheriff's Office. 
Corporal Cooper gave his life in the line of duty on August 10, 2016. 
As a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who spent 15 years in the 
Sebastian County Sheriff's Office and 6 years with the Ft. Smith Police 
Department, Bill Cooper was a true public servant.
  Corporal Cooper was remembered by his colleagues as a model law 
enforcement officer who did things the right way. He loved the men and 
women he worked with, and he exemplified what many in law enforcement 
aspire to, which was being an officer who never failed to show how much 
he cared about his community.

[[Page 12109]]

  As such, he continued to serve long after he was eligible to retire. 
Cooper was also a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who loved 
his family very, very much. Last month, Corporal Cooper responded to a 
domestic call involving an armed suspect near Hackett, AR. The suspect 
opened fire on Cooper and Hackett police chief Darrell Spells.
  Corporal Cooper was fatally wounded. Chief Spells and Greenwood K-9 
officer Kina were injured. The suspect later surrendered and was taken 
into police custody. In a true testament to the impact that Corporal 
Cooper had on so many who served with him or knew him, he was laid to 
rest at a funeral service attended by several thousand people, 
including law enforcement officers from across the State and around the 
country. His colleagues and friends remembered him to have always 
treated citizens with respect and dignity, while also being a loyal 
partner and friend.
  While our hearts break for those who knew him, we also respect and 
admire Corporal Cooper for his lifetime of service. He truly was 
someone who ran toward danger in order to protect others. Corporal 
Cooper was a hero, and today we honor his sacrifice. My thoughts and 
prayers are with his wife Ruth, his son Scott, along with many other 
family members, friends, and colleagues in the law enforcement 
community.
  I humbly and sincerely offer my condolences and my gratitude to them 
as they grieve for Bill. Bill was a classmate of mine at the Northside 
High School in Fort Smith. We as a class are very, very proud of him 
for his sacrifice, for our safety, but also, and certainly as 
important, the way he lived his life. May we always remember Corporal 
Cooper's life and legacy of service.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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