Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Thank you for your service and for helping to make America a safer place.

Deputy Brian Jones
Boulder County Sheriff's Office, CO

October 29, 2012

Your heroism and service is honored today, the thirty third anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer who was murdered in the the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.

Time never diminishes love or respect. Your memory will always be honored and revered. The circumstances of your murder were horrific and senseless and caused such devastation to so many.

Rest In Peace. None of our heroes will be forgotten for the supreme sacrifice they and their families made.

Phyllis Loya

Phyllis Loya
mother of fallen officer Larry Lasater

March 9, 2009

I remember that day, 32 years ago, in Point Pleasant where I was born and raised. I was 7 years old at the time, and was getting ready for bed when an incredible exposion echoed throughout the town. My dad turned on the scanner and the voices of the Deputies and Officers responding to the scene were just screams of unbelief. The scene in downtown Point Pleasant looked like that of a recent war-zone with one end of the County Building where the Sheriff's Office and jail were, gone. Many storefronts along Main St/Viand St were heavily damaged from flying debris. In addition to the terrible loss of our Sheriff Wedge, Deputy Love, and Deputy Hesson other officers' careers were ended due to permanent injury. A WV State Trooper, not 2 years out of the Academy, suffered massive internal injuries from the blast concussion and had to retire at 26 years old. An OH Highway Patrolman crossed the Ohio River into WV to assist, and lost a leg in the blast. Two Point Pleasant Police Officers were severly burned and had to retire. This is without a doubt, the worst day in WV Law Enforcement history for LEO lives lost or injured. I remember the next week, standing along Jackson Avenue (WV Rt.2) holding my dad's hand with hundreds of other citizens as a police escort, miles long, with agencies from as far away as FL,AZ, and CA silently bade the Sheriff and one of his Deputies to their final resting place. That was all it took, I wanted to be a cop. I am now in my 19th year of law enforcement, 4 in the Air Force, 7.5 in WV, and 7.5 here in NC. I have been to the National Memorial 5 times with my agencies Honor Guard and have participated as a Memorial Detail Guard during the Candlelight Vigil in 2002, when over 8,000 NYPD Officers came to remember the Brothers they lost on 9/11/2001. I would not for a minute change the path I have chosen, and it started with a black day in my hometown 32 years ago.

Sheriff Wedge, I did not know you personally but I did work with one of your deputies when he and I were employed together in Putnam Co. WV. Sgt. Detner Roush III spoke of you with reverance, and when he described carrying you into the cemetary he could not finish for the tears. Know that you are loved, missed, and honored by those that had the priviledge to work with and for you, and by those who came after to carry the torch.

Montani Semper Liberi
Brad Smith

MPO-II Bradford I. Smith
High Point NC Police Dept

May 30, 2008

"The Badge"

He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.

He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.

Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.

He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.

His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.

He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.

And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.

But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.

Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.

Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.

So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.

In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.

Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.

Written By:
David L. Bell
Sergeant
Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1999 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

Investigator David L Bell
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

March 2, 2008

Sheriff Wedge, Rest in Peace.

C.O. Stephen Celestino
Westchester County Dept. of Correction, NY

September 9, 2007

My roots are from Mason WV. Grandfather was born there. He came to Ft. Wayne and became a cop in 1921. My dad, uncles, brother, myself, my nephew, and a score of other relatives followed. You are remembered Brother.

Sergeant Brian Burton
Fort Wayne Indiana

August 15, 2005

You are not forgotten, Sheriff. Thank you for your years of service and the ultimate sacrifice.

DISPATCHER

March 3, 2005

Sheriff Wedge,
On today, the 29th anniversary of your murder, I would like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of Mason County.

R.I.P.
Anonymous

March 3, 2005