This page is dedicated to those Law Enforcement Officer who have made the supreme sacrifice, giving up their lives in the performance of their duty. I will focus on a few select Officers who touched my life personally. We miss you brothers, and we will meet again someday to continue the fight.
Paul Hulsey, Beaumont TX. Police Department, end of watch 03-22-1988. Paul was a narcotics Officer while I was an agent with the DEA Task Force. Paul was shot and killed by a suspect he was arresting in a motel room. His backup had stopped monitoring Paul's body mic because of an auto/pedestrian accident that had just occurred in front of the motel. The suspect left in a vehicle, and I located him approximately 25 minutes on later on Interstate 10, running for Louisiana. This started a 100+ mile pursuit, which I had to drop out of due to brake failure. The pursuit was ended by Texas State Troopers North of Houston when the suspect was taken into custody. His killer was executed in 1996.
Ricky Ward, Mexia
TX. Police Department, end of watch 08-02-1993. Ricky was a great friend and
partner, a "gentle giant" who was ambushed and executed by drug dealers as
payback for a drug arrest. The truly sad part is that Ricky was not the
target they really wanted, but just another white male Officer.
Ricky's killer now sits on death row.
Randall Vetter, Texas DPS/Highway Patrol, end of watch 08-07-2000. Even though he was only in the next County I did not know Randy. His death has had a profound effect of many of us who wear a badge. Randy had stopped the 72-year-old suspect for not wearing a seatbelt. Before he was able to exit his patrol car the suspect exited his vehicle with a rifle. Trooper Vetter fired on the suspect but did not hit him. The suspect fired several shots striking Trooper Vetter in the head. The suspect then used the Trooper's radio to say he shot the Trooper and then attempted to flee the scene. Many officers were on the scene very quickly and took the suspect into the custody after a standoff. The suspect later said that he was tired of having his Civil Rights violated by Law Enforcement Officers for not wearing his seat belt.
Sergeant Steve
Davenport, Limestone County S.O., end of watch 05-02-2002. Steve was one of
my oldest and closest friends, and the person who called me on 08-02-1993
and told me of Ricky's murder. Steve was an agent assigned to the Heart of
Texas Auto Theft Task Force, and was one of the best and safest officers I
have ever worked with. Steve, another agent, and a Texas DPS auto theft
investigator went to a rural residence to do a "knock and talk" to try and
obtain consent to search the property. The suspect's wife told them that her
husband was not home, and while trying to get consent from her Steve saw
movement in the barn. He had just enough time to shout a warning to the
other officers and start to draw his weapon when he was shot by the suspect
with a high-powered rifle. As the other officers ran for cover they were
both shot also. This started an almost two hour shootout and standoff, with
Steve laying in the middle of the kill zone. The standoff ended with the suspect
committing suicide. After it was finished, over $500,000 in stolen vehicles were located on the suspects property.
Steve's death was, to say the least, devastating, but I
have no doubt that he would say that it was was worth it considering he
saved the lives of the other two officers. We love you and miss you
Hamburger, and I know how proud you are of The Reverend's courage and
strength, both at the funeral and since then.
Victoria's Prayer
My daddy is a policeman, he wears a suit of blue;
He didn't come home from work last night,
Mommy says he's in heaven with you.
I'm worried about my daddy, Lord,
He's never been away this long before;
Mommy cried when she told me;
That we wouldn't see daddy no more.
I don't know what it was that mommy was trying to explain;
she said he was after a bad man, and somehow my daddy was slain.
Now, I don't know what that means Lord,
All I know is we miss daddy a lot;
Because tomorrow is my birthday, and I sure hope he hasn't forgot.
Lord, if my daddy is up there in heaven,
please tell him as soon as he is free;
To hurry back home as fast as he can, because we miss him;
Mommy, John Michael, and me.
The funeral line was long,
There's an awful lot of cars,
Folks came out of the restaurants,
They came out of the bars.
The workers at the construction sites
All let their hammers drop.
Someone asked. "What is this all for?"
And they said, "Aw, just a cop."
Some chuckled at the passing cars.
Some shed a silent tear
Some people said, "It's stupid,"
"all these dumb policemen here."
"How come they are not out fighting crime?"
"Or in a doughnut shop?"
Sure is a lot of trouble,
For someone who's just a cop."
They blocked the intersections,
They blocked the interstate.
People yelled and cursed,
"Damn, it's gonna make me late!"
"This is really ridiculous!"
"They're makin' us all stop!"
"It seems they are sure wastin' time,
On someone who's just a cop."
Into the cemetery now,
The slow procession comes,
The woeful Taps are slowly played.
There's loud salutes from guns.
The graveyard workers shake their heads
"This service is a flop."
"There's lots of good words wasted,
On someone who's just a cop"
Yeah, just a cop to most folks.
Did his duty every day.
Trying to protect us,
Till they took his life away.
And when he got to heaven,
St. Peter put him at the top.
An angel asked him,
"Who was that?"
And he said, "Aw, just a cop."
His Judgment Day:
The officer stood and faced his God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, Officer,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my church have you been true?"
The officer squared his shoulder and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I aint,
Because those of us who carry badges
can't always be a saint
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was rough,
And sometimes I've been violent
Because the streets are tough.
But I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep..
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
when the bills got too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept an unmanly tear.
I know I don't deserve a place
among the people here.
They never wanted me around
except to calm their fear.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
it needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't...I'll understand.
There was silence all around the throne,
where the saints often trod.
As the officer waited quietly
for the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, Officer.
You've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on heaven's streets,
You've done your time in hell"