Sharing the sorrow of fallen Dallas Police officers | Guest op

Editor’s note: Kent Police officer Trevor Wolcott wrote this letter to his fellow officers about his experiences after the Kent Police Officer’s Association sent four members last month to Dallas for the slain officers memorials:

Last month Sgt. Scott Rankin, Det. Melanie Robinson, officer John Waldo and I attended the memorials for the fallen Dallas officers.

I was extremely humbled by this experience, which encompassed the worst aspect of our job; that one day we may be killed in the line of duty, for simply wearing the uniform we chose to wear.

However, it also showed me the unshakable bond we have as police officers, that when all else fails we will always have each other.

This was my first police memorial and I was not sure what to expect. I knew it would be sad and I wanted to show my respect to the Dallas Police Department Officers who were experiencing something I hope we never will, the loss of one of our brothers/ sisters.

We went to the Dallas Police Station and saw the police cars covered in flowers. Although it was a stormy day, there were numerous citizens still at the memorial, many of which came up to us and hugged us. Even though we were from a different state and did not police their city, they thanked us repeatedly for what we do. In our current times when it feels as if everyone is against us, this experience and the weeks to follow showed that the vast majority of citizens support us.

While standing outside, Dallas PD Officers came out of their station to shake our hands and thank us for coming as well. Both officers and supervisors shared words with us, many of which looked exhausted after working countless hours since the shootings. We could see that they were hurting from the experience yet they would not let that stop them from showing their appreciation. We expressed our condolences and shared our support as thousands of officers had done before and after us.

We later attended a fundraiser for the families of the fallen officers hosted by the Dallas PD union. There were hundreds of officers there and although we had never met before, there was a bond that was undeniable. Everyone shared stories and talked as if they were life-long friends. This event raised thousands of dollars for the families.

Detective Robinson and I attended the final funeral, for officer Patricio Zamarippa. Thousands of people attended this funeral, including officers from all over the world. There were officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and even an officer from Puerto Rico. The funeral procession stretched for miles with hundreds of patrol cars and it was truly a sight to see.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown gave a great speech commenting on how police have already given all that they can for their community, their lives; and that we must now ask what the community is willing to give for the police. It was an interesting question and I think most of the nation has asked themselves that lately.

Finally, we visited the scene of the shooting which was surreal to say the least. Texas State troopers and FBI agents were stationed behind metal fences they put up to keep protesters out. The building was littered with bullet holes and many of the windows had been shattered during the shootout. We were able to stand just a few feet away from where DART Officer Brent Thompson was killed and saw the multiple bullet holes in the column he took cover behind. A trooper told us that Thompson heard the gunshots from a nearby park and rushed the suspect by himself to try and end the threat. Thompson was killed during the ensuing gun fight, which many of us have sadly seen on the internet.

We walked past the intersection where the first officers were shot and ended on the north side of the building, where Sgt. Michael Smith was shot by the suspect from the second floor. The suspect then barricaded himself in a room and was later killed by Dallas Police after they detonated explosives against the wall of the room next door.

I struggled to come up with words to describe this senseless act, ultimately realizing there aren’t any. It drove home many points that we all know, yet seem to forget in our busy lives. Most importantly that life is precious. We often do not know when our time will come and it sometimes comes without warning, so we need to cherish what time we have.

Also, although our profession can be called just a “job,” we all know it is much more than that. We see things in one shift that most people will never see in their lives. We do not know what waits for us at each call and your beat partner could save your life one day. This develops bonds that are very unique and incredibly strong.

We are truly a family, many times a dysfunctional one, but a family none the less. We must continue to look out for each other in these crazy times and make sure everyone comes home safe.