Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

To the family and loved ones of Detective Kevin Darrell Rice Sr. and his fellow officers with the Rockford Police Department:

On this the fifth anniversary week of Kevin's tragic death, I wanted to honor and remember him today. Although I never had the privilege of meeting Kevin, I feel as if I know him through the loving reflections left by loved ones and friends. His valor and courage will never be forgotten.
The lessons he taught to those he mentored will be carried forward.

I hope that God is holding him in the sweetest part of his heart and the most gentle part of his soul.

To his son Stan, I hope that you have been successful in following in your father's footsteps.

I am so sorry that Kevin was robbed of his life so tragically, but through his heroism and the profound sense of duty with which he lived his life, he made an immeasurable difference. May his spirit continue to soar and may his memory continue to inspire.

This reflection is sent with the utmost respect for the dedicated service Kevin gave to his community and the citizens of Illinois, and for the supreme sacrifice he and his family made on August 3, 2001.

Phyllis L. Loya, mother of fallen officer Larry Lasater, PPD
eow 4/24/05

August 4, 2006

Sometimes you stop the bad guys and sometimes the
bad guys stop you. Thinking of you on the fifth anniversary of your death and knowing time will never
diminish your sacrifice. Some wonderful things have
been said about you here. We remember you with
fondness, admiration and love.
Lynn Kole
Washington State

August 3, 2006

I can't believe we are approaching the 5 year anniversary date that we lost Kevin. It still seems like yesterday. We have all kept going on but our heart is still heavy knowing you are missing!

July 17, 2006

My heart goes out to your family, brother in law enforcment.

Corrections Officer James La Valley
Lake County Sheriff

January 9, 2006

My heart goes out to your family, brother in law enforcment.

Corrections Officer James La Valley
Lake County Sheriff

January 9, 2006

I MISS YOU BIG BROTHER!

May 18, 2005

KEVIN HAD MANY FRIENDS BOTH ON AND OFF THE JOB. WHEN I WAS WORKING IN THE WINNEBAGO COUNTY JAIL AND WHEN KEVIN BROUGHT SOMEBODY UP WE WOULD TALK FOR A FEW MINUTES SOME TIMES HE WOULD LAUGH AT WHY SOMEBODY WAS ARRESTED OR MORE TIMES THAN NOT HE WOULD TELL THEM HOW TO ACT SO NOT TO GET INTO TROUBLE.

EVEN THO KEVIN WOULD ARREST SOMEBODY HE WOULD BE THERE TO HELP THEM AS WELL.

WHEN KEVIN DIED I WENT TO THE SERVICES WHICH WAS HARD BECAUSE HE WAS A FRIEND.

FOR STAN I HOPE THAT LETTER THAT OFFICER BILLY WILSON GAVE YOU FROM ME HELPED YOU THROUGH IT BECAUSE I TOO WENT THROUGH THE SAME THING WHEN I WAS YOUNGER. I HOPE THE BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

CORPORAL BILLY WESTON
ROSCOE POLICE DEPARTMENT

CORPORAL BILLY WESTON
ROSCOE

April 13, 2005

Kevin you have done so much for us and now you still look down to protect us and your family .....Who thought your life would be taken before your son was born but he will always know who you are because you have a very special family ...
God Will Always Protected them may they always know they have a guardian angel on their shoulder

victoria carlson
a friend

December 28, 2004

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories were a lane
I would walk right up to heaven
And bring you back again.

No farewell words were spoken
No time to say goodbye
You were gone before I knew it
And only God knows why.

My heart still aches in sadness
And secret tears still flow
What it meant to lose you
No one can ever know.

But now I know you want me
To mourn for you no more
To remember all the happy times
Life still has much in store.

Since you'll never be forgotten
I pledge to you today
A hallowed place within my heart
Is where you'll always stay.




I thought of you with love today,
but that is nothing new,
I thought about you yesterday,
And days before that too.
I think of you in silence,
I often speak you name,
Now all I have is memories,
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake,
With which I'll never part.
God has you in his keeping,
I have you in my heart.

May 3, 2004

Dad,

Its rough no longer having you around. Your missed terribly. But I know your watching over us all. I've made the list for the department. I hope to become half as good a cop as you were. Hopefully my FTO will have gotten his training from you.

Love your son
Stan



I miss you!

I miss the heart and soul of you,
each part and the whole of you.

I miss the smile and the tears of you,
the faith and the fears of you …
the passion and desire of you,
the love and the fire of you.

I miss the busy and the lazy you,
the quiet and the crazy you …
the confidence and strength of you,
The go-to-any-length of you.

I miss the then and now and future you,
the questioning and securer you …
the romantic and the tender you,
the fight and surrender of you.

I miss the heart and soul of you,
each part and the whole of you.

Prospective Canidate Stanley Rice
Rockford Police Department

May 3, 2004

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the rain fall soft upon your field
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of his hand

God bless you and your family

Ret/Sgt AJC
MCSD

Kevin,
We all miss you so much brother. Although you will never live with us while we are on earth, you still live in us...in each of us. William Buck was found GUILTY yesterday. It gives us a little sense of relief, knowing we weren't going to let you down unitl we found, arrested, and convicted the person who took you from your family, friends, and community. Just like you were not going to let your community down in the early morning hours of August 3rd, 2001, and that's why you investigated the suspicious activity. You must be so proud of how your fellow officers handled themselves during the difficult times throughout the investigation. You must be even more proud knowing that a lot of the investigative skills, they learned from you Kevin! You will always be missed but never forgotten. God bless you Kevin. Please watch over us as we continue to do the job.

Anonymous

Today is Wednesday, March 5, 2003. We have about 6 inches of crisp, white fallen snow. The sun is shining immensely, the birds are chirping and the best news of all is the jury has returned the first guilty verdict. It came to us shorty after lunch time. There is justice! You are going to be able to rest peacefully. All of our prayers have been aswered. God knows what happen that night and saw that the right thing was done.
It does not bring you back, but it helps to ease our pain, slightly. You are missed beyond anyones imagination Kevin!!

Anonymous

It is at times like these that make us realize the true meaning of making the ultimate sacrifice. Kevin was truly a great husband, father and police officer. The communtiy he served remembered him and showed thier support for the man who patrolled the streets at night making them feel safe. Also for the outstanding job he did as a Gang Detective and not only appreheded criminals but reaching out to young gang memebers and trying to show them a different way of life. That was Kevin, always reaching out to help others. Kevin had a saying, it was " can you help a brother out", well Kevin be assured that the men and women of the Rockford Police Department will always remember as you have taught us a great lesson of life.

May God bless you Kevin.

Detective Jeff Schelling
Rockford Police Department

Today is August 3rd 2002. Rockford is a very sad place today as we remember losing you just one short year ago. Once again the community stands behind you as we display our white ribbons in honor of you, Kevin Rice, our TRUE hero!
Your name is a name no one can speak without tears welling up in their eyes. You are a legacy! You would be proud of the community you served to protect and how we take care of your family like we promised you. Not a day goes by that someone doesn't speak your name or think of you. You are missed more than you could ever imagine.
We all join together in prayer for the day when you can truly rest in peace.
God Bless You Kevin Rice.

Anonymous

Soon it will be a year. It is still not real sometimes. Today I could hear your laugh and it brought smiles. We go on but you are missed so...still. And thought of so very often.

Anonymous

Kevin was a good friend and a kind person. He was one of the best gang detectives in the midwest. I want to express my condolences to his family, friends, and fellow officers.

May god be with all you,

Tony Diaz

Detective
Seminole County Sheriff's Office

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, another day and another holiday without our Kevin. While I am thankful for many things this and every year, I wanted to place a reflection to let Kevin's family know that I am thinking of them this Thanksgiving. The hole in your heart may never get smaller but I hope his memories and the love everyone has for Kevin help to fill it in.

God Bless you, may you have a safe and blessed Thanksgiving.

Anonymous

I met Kevin before I became a police officer, and was always struck by what a truly nice guy he was. I worked with his brother, Elmer, and Kevin would often stop in to chat. I was at work the night Kevin was murdered, and was stunned when I heard what had happened. The circumstances of his death are an indication of the type of officer he was. His was the second line of duty funeral I have attended, and I was struck my the outpouring of support shown by every agency that was represented. We will never have another Kevin Rice, but the legacy he left behind will inspire generations of officers in this area.

May you rest in peace, brother, and know that we will carry your example with us every time duty calls.

Sgt. Greg Pickett
Rockton, Illinois Police Dept.

A Cop on the take

First he takes ... the oath.
Now look at what else he takes:

He takes... it in stride when people call him pig.
He takes... his lousy pay check realizing he'll never be rich.
He takes... a second job sometimes to make ends meet and support his family.
He takes... time to stop and talk to children.
He takes... your verbal abuse while giving you a ticket you really deserved.
He takes... on creeps you would be afraid to even look at.
He takes... time away from his family to keep you safe.
He takes... your injured child to the hospital.
He takes... the graveyard shift without complaint because it's his turn.
He takes... his life into his hands daily.
He takes... you home when your car breaks down.
He takes... time to explain why both your headlights have to work.
He takes... the job no one else wants--telling you a loved one has died.
He takes ... criminals to jail.
He takes... in sights that would make you cry.
Sometimes he cries too, but he takes it anyway because someone has to.
He takes... memories to bed each night that you couldn't bear for even one day.
He takes... time to explain to his family why he can't make the ball game his child is in and why he has to work on the holiday when other parents are off.
Sometimes, he takes a bullet.
And yes, occasionally he may take a free cup of coffee.
If he is lucky, he takes retirement.
Then one day he pays for all he has taken, and God takes him.

author unknown

Anonymous

Our prayers go out to the family, friends and law enforcement co-workers, and the community during this difficult time. God Bless.

Janice Starnes - wife of-
murdered Sgt. Dan R. Starnes
Morgan Co. Sheriff Dept. INDIANA
Killed in the Line of Duty
July 10, 2001

janice
none

To the family of Kevin Rice, Kevin's memory will live forever with us in our hearts. His deeds will never be forgotten. May his spirit be along side us in the wind as we ride.

Illinois Police & Fire Motorcycle Assoc.

I think and reflect of detective kevin rice as a faithful and spirtual man who loved his job served his city faithfuly and loved his family very very much. I know kevin was and is still a good cop,husband and father. i feel it was only right that i do this i held a moment of quietness in my church the sunday after he passed on. please continue to pray for his family.

Shannon Bowers

I never knew how much Kevin meant to me, until he was gone. What a shame. Kevin was my F.T.O....he taught me how to be a cop. He taught me how to be safe. I will never forget the impact he had on my life. Now, I train new Officers and each night I find myself repeating those very things he taught me years ago. Its strange how we never know what reminds us of another until that person is gone. I think about you every night Kevin. I went to the station tonight at 0200 to pick up my check, after I left an off-duty job. I thought about your last late night trip...I couldnt wait to get home to my family. We all miss you Kevin. May God bless your family, they are in my prayers daily. I know you, Kevin, are in a better place than us.

Anonymous

It helps reading the other reflections. I know this really has happened to our Department...but it still does not seem real. I have a sad heart. Kevin was such a good, kind soul. But we go on.....don't we??? God, we all miss you, Kev...

Anonymous