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2008 March 29, 2008 Officer Jim Fezatte Millbrook Police Department 2007 December 15, 2007 Officer William Eric Freeman Huntsville Police Department December 7, 2007 Officer Elizabeth Franklin Julia Tutwiler Prison August 17, 2007 Det. Corporal Kenneth Armstrong Montgomery Police Department May 3, 2007 Officer David Young Florence Police Department February 16, 2007 Lieutenant Dexter Holcomb Oxford Police Department 2006 October 23, 2006 Officer Mary Smith Fairfield Police Department September 30, 2006 Officer Keith E. Houts Montgomery Police Department August 16, 2006 Sergeant Micah Burks Autauga County Sheriff's Department April 7, 2006 Corporal Anthony "Tony" Maurice Andrews Saraland Police Department 2005 September 24, 2005 Chief of Police Dion R. Nelson York Police Department September 23, 2005 Officer Johnnie Lane Shaner White Hall Police Department August 29, 2005 Police Officer Daniel H. Golden Huntsville Police Department April 25, 2005 Patrolman Harold Loyd Thorne Jr. Tuscaloosa Police Department 2004 June 17, 2004 Officer Charles Robert Bennett Birmingham Police Department June 17, 2004 Officer Harley Chisholm, III Birmingham Police Department June 17, 2004 Officer Carlos Owens Birmingham Police Department April 8, 2004 Deputy Brandon Lassiter Covington Co. Sheriff's Department February 25, 2004 Inspector David Jennings Alabama Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board February 11, 2004 Cpl. Matthew Thompson Mobile Police Department January 14, 2004 Officer Clinton Earl Walker Prattville Police Department January 2, 2004 Officer Tony Mims Athens Police Department January 2, 2004
Sgt. Larry Russell Athens Police Department |
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 "As we gather here, even the skies outside weep with us. As we gather here this afternoon, we see that the thin blue line has been diminished, but as we gather here this afternoon, we see that the line remains strong. It is not broken. As we gather here this afternoon, I think of words that are written on a black monument down in Butler County, Alabama. It’s a law enforcement memorial down there and it has these words. It says, 'These men, these fallen officers, are not heroes because of how they died. They are heroes because of how they lived.' I know how these officers lived. They lived and died the same way – with courage, with bravery, with valor, with sacrifice, and with service. They lived and died as heroes. This room is full of heroes – heroes that have a badge – heroes who have on a uniform – and heroes who have neither to identify you as such, but who are heroes just the same because you are the family members. You are the people who share the heroes with our State. We come here today on behalf of a grateful State to convey our sympathies, to convey our condolences, and to convey our appreciation. Thank you for sharing these officers with the State of Alabama. Thank you for their service and their example. As the father of three children, I can tell you that these officers were the kind of men that I am glad my kids had to look to as an example. Theirs is the kind of example we should hold up again, and again, and again. I pray today that God will bless and comfort each of you. More than that, I pray for everybody in this room. I pray that God will ride along beside you. I pray that He will shield and that He will protect you. Thank you and God bless you." |