Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

"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

December 10, 2007

You are remembered today and thank you and your K-9 partner for your service

vandenberghe
manchester, nh

December 8, 2007

Uncle Michael -

I can't believe that it has been 10 years since you left us. I need to tell you that not a day in those 10 years did I not think of you. You are missed and loved as much today as you were that horrible day. So much has happened in these 10 years that I wish you were here for. I know that you are watching over all of us and keeping us safe. I try very hard to be as great of an aunt to Dyllan and Delainy as you were an uncle to me and Robyn. 10 years ago I was only a senior in high school and now I am 27 years old. I so wish that you could know the person that I am today and I pray that you are proud of who I have become and what I have accomplished. I wish you could meet Ethan, like you he is a police officer who is as dedicated to the job as you were. He is a wonderful guy who loves me very much and makes me so incredibly happy. I just miss you so much and if I could have a wish I wish I could have the opportunity to talk with you again. On the approaching 10 year anniversary of that horrible accident I just want you to know that you are still loved and missed so extremely much and the emptiness in all our hearts and lives is still as big as it was then. Please continue to watch over us and keep us safe.

I Love You Forever,
Dawn

November 19, 2007

Uncle Michael,
I have been meaning to write to you for a long time, and im sorry its been so long, but i just wanted to tell you I love you and still miss u as much as i did on the day you left us. My life has changed so much. I have remarried, a wonderful guy named Russ and he loves Dyllan and Lainy as if they were his own. We live in Baltimore, MD now. I am extremely happy with him and he is the guy i was meant to be with all along. I know you and gram watched over me and helped me get through everything and gave this wonderful man as a gift to me. I wish you could have met the kids, Dyllan, hes 8 now, knows all abt you and he is obsessed with being a police officer. He has a picture of you with Woedon that he adores. He misses gram so much. And Lainy, she is 4, i wish she could have met you too cause she would have loved all the cool animals you used to have. I must admit, i am the anumal rescuer now. We love all kinds of animals, just like u. I remember when i would come and visit you and Id be scared of those dogs of urs. haha, i would run from room to room so they wouldnt bite my ankles. Boy has time changed....I just want you to know i love you and I am hoping to get to the cemetary in the next year when we go to spring training... November is always hard but this year it is especially hard for me. I remember talking to you the day before your accident and just kidding and joking. I will always regret handing the phone over to someone else for them to talk and not telling you that i love u. I hope u knew. I remember getting that call in the middle of the nite, i was the number they found in your phone to call, that was the worst nite of my life...Anyway, i guess thats it. I love you and miss u so much. I often wonder how different things would be now that im older and have the kids. We would have seen you more and not felt so far away from you. Since you were so much younger than everyone else, you were always the COOL uncle....Please keep watch over me and my new family and say hi to gram for me. I bet she is so proud, being there with you!

I love you,
Robyn

Robyn Caiazzo
niece

November 8, 2007

Mike,

Just want you to know Pal that you have not been forgotten. Not a day goes by that I don't turn the headlights of my patrol car on in memory of you and Mike Doane.

There are days that I just wish I could give you a call and we could get together and just kick back and laugh at all the stupid stuff that we did during our short time that we had together.

Well buddy, just want you to know that I still miss you and think of you often.

God Bless my Brother,

Your Pal, Your Friend and Partner forever.
Until we meet again

Deputy Philip M. Marino
Broward Sheriff's Office

Deputy Philip M. Marino
Broward Sheriff's Office

October 16, 2007

May you continue to rest in eternal peace. You will never be forgotten.....

Senior Officer D. W. Reichhardt
Waverly PD, Va.

December 15, 2006

May you be ever blessed by Our Lord.

December 15, 2006

You have not been forgotten. My thoughts are with your loved ones and friends on this day. Continue to keep watch over them. You are a true hero and heroes never die.

Bob Gordon
Father of Fallen Officer: Michael P. Gordon, EOW: 8/8/04

December 14, 2006

Dear Mike: I was just a rookie when I first met you having coffee with Kathy Lenox at the Bagel Shop in our old beat of Lauderhill. Since then, we became great friends and zone partners. You loved the animals so much, and you had so many of them at home, I nick named you Metro(ka)-Zoo. I guess after you left us, you passed it on to me. You'll be glad to know, I rescue pets now. You can tell Woedon that for me. I was so proud of you when you make the K-9 unit. You met me that evening to tell me the great news. I miss you 6A9. From your zone partner 6A3.

Always thinking and laughing with you, 'till we play again.
Hermi

Dep. Hermi Zumbado
Broward County Sheriff's Office

November 19, 2006

Mike, there is not a day your not in our thoughts. W

Armando , Dina , Alyssa , Armando III & Alex

Detective Armando Enrique
Broward County Sheriffs Office

November 16, 2006

Mike,
A day does not go by that I don't think about you and our time in District 9. You are deeply missed by many. You touched so many lives and left an everlasting impression on us.

We miss you!!

Sgt. Mitchell Kogod
Broward Sheriff's Office

November 13, 2005

Mike, on the anniversary of your tragic death, I wanted you to know that I think about you often. I remember the times on Elevation 729 at S.S.E.S. that we spent talking. We always seemed to end up talking about animals, so I wasn't surprised to hear that you ended up in the K-9 Unit. Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. It is deeply appreciated.

C. Karl
Former Security Officer. S.S.E.S

December 15, 2004

On the anniversary of your death, I salute you for your service and honor you for your sacrifice.

A hero never dies....

Rest in peace, hero.

December 15, 2004

Thank you for your service, rest in peace.

Ofc. Michael Walker
Tallahassee Police Dept.

March 25, 2004

Mike,
I will never forget you. You were more than a brother officer , you were a neighbor and friend. May you always look upon me and help me through the 'hard' times in life. I know where you are now and I pray you will 'hold' a seat for me. One day we will be together again. I was sorry to hear about Woedon, but I'm sure you are happy to have him by your side now. God bless you always.
Eternally a friend, Al

Officer Al Stanco
Plantation

The news of Mike's death was particularly hard for me to take because my friend and co-worker, DEA Special Agent Shaun Curl, was shot and killed three days before Mike's death in Miramar, Fl. I remember seeing footage of the funeral procession on TV and wished I had gone to the service myself, but felt I could not bear to attend another funeral so soon after Shaun's. I wish now that I had personally gone to pay my respects.

Mike will forever be remembered by those he worked with. He was a true hero. I know that he is heaven now looking down on all his fellow brothers and sisters in law enforcement.

Special Agent
Drug Enforcement Administration

Mike, I just want you to know that you are constantly on my mind. I thank God for the time that he gave to us to become Friends, Pal's and Partners. Even if our time together on earth was short, I still have the memories and they will continue forever in my heart and my mind, and that will last a lifetime.

I want to thank you again for being there for us when we needed you. You will never be forgotten my friend.

May God Bless you always.

Your Pal, Friend and Partner forever.

Until we meet again

Deputy Philip M. Marino
Broward County Sheriff's Office

Mike,

We all miss you a lot and think about you. Sometimes I still can't believe what happened. I hear Woedon is w/ you now. Bet you two had a great reunion up there. We'll see you again some day when we all come home.

Robert.

Deputy Robert Feick
Broward County Sheriff's Department, FL

Dear Mike:

I will forever be grateful of the times that we worked together. The competition between us of who could have the most strobe lights in our police cruisers will be a memory that I will forever cherish. Until the final roll call my friend, I will miss you.

Officer William Gordon
Lauderhill Police Department

Rest in peace my friend.

Cpl. Dean Johnson
Palm Beach County (FL) Sheriff's Office