Another officer dies in Washington State

[MJ5150]

Sad day again for law enforcement nationwide, and especially here in Washington State. This officer was shot multiple times at close range while responding to a domestic violence call, and died a few days later. Here is a link to the story from our local NBC affiliate: Community mourns after deputy wounded in ambush dies.

This makes six police officers shot and killed in Washington State in the last two months, seven for the year. Four of them were eating breakfast when they were killed, one was doing paperwork in his car, one was killed while protecting his partner, and the other was killed responding to another domestic disturbance. It makes me want to cry sometimes when I think about it.

I don't know what is wrong with people anymore. When I was growing up, we wouldn't even dare backtalk a police officer. Now people have crossed the line in an unbelievable way, a couple of the officers were even women.

This doesn't even count the armored guard who was collecting money at a local WalMart a few months ago. Someone walked in the store in broad daylight, shot the guy in he face at point blank range, and ran off with his bag of money.

Folks....seriously....take a moment the next time you see a law enforcement officer to go up and shake their hand and say thank you. I did it once, and got a Seattle Mariners baseball card from the officer.

-Mike

[txbasschik]

Domestic violence calls are some of the most dangerous an officer will ever respond to. (This from an ex-cop buddy of ours.) The emotions are high, and people do stupid things. Another very dangerous situation is just pulling someone over on the road. They might be cool. Or they might be armed and stupid.

There are cops who are total jerks, and they give all other cops a bad name. There's at least a handful of such losers in every department. But most cops are just trying to help, really. They see horrible things all the time...dead kids, beaten and mutilated women...every awful thing, the cop eventually sees. All that, and the threat of death, too.

I salute every officer who manages to keep his sanity and his humanity in the face of all that.

Cherie