Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Rest in peace, and thanks for keeping the peace while you were here. I hope to serve as a police officer very soon, and it will be an honor because of Deputy Litz and other officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. God bless his wife, son and all who knew him. This loss is unimaginable I'm sure.

Pat
Baltimore, MD

February 8, 2004

Yet another hero has been taken too soon. My deepest sympathy to the family, friends and co-workers of Deputy Litz. May the Lord give you strength and bless each of you during this time.
Rest in peace for your watch here is over; walk in heavens beat and guide us all to protect and serve others safely.

US Ranger Catroppa
National Park Service Kennesaw GA

February 8, 2004

To the family and friends of this fine officer go my thoughts and prayers . I am so sorry for your loss . May he rest in peace .

Garda Kenneth Harrington
An Garda Siochana , Ireland .

February 8, 2004

To the Litz Family,

I once had the HONOR of working with Brian and hardly knew him, but after that one meeting, I knew that he was a special person. Brian you will be missed. God Bless

Ofc. David Schramek and K-9 Votan
Gainesville Florida Police Department

February 8, 2004

BUFFALO, NEW YORK

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE OFFICERS
WISH TO SEND OUR CONDOLENCES. OUR THOUGHTS
AND PRAYERS ARE WITH DEPUTY LITZ, HIS FAMILY
AND CO-WORKERS.

GOD BLESS...

PO ERNEST G. PENN
DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE

February 8, 2004

My heart goes out to the family, friends and co-workers of Deputy Litz. May this hero rest in peace and watch over his family always.

Stacy Cullinane Smith
Widow of Patrolman Mickey Cullinane, EOW 8/26/92,
Sea Isle City, NJ Police Department

February 8, 2004

God speed warrior your shield will shine forever. Our prayers are with you and your family. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten. Sincerely Ofc Ryan Leach.

Officer Ryan Leach
Grand Blanc Township (MI)

February 8, 2004

God bless the blue angels.
Those willing to go, everyday into the valley of the shadow.
and those who now find peaceful shelter on the other side.
You are forever in our hearts and prayers.

ACooper
Emt

February 8, 2004

To an outstanding Deputy who always gives unselfishly of himself, you'll be missed greatly. Thank you for being my friend . . . I'll never forget you and I will miss your friendship. While on your new patrol, keep an eye on the rest of us.
I pray for God's arms to embrace your family, showering them with peace.

Lt. C. Sirolli
Ocala Police Department

February 8, 2004

Marion County Sheriff Ed Dean was quoted in the StarBanner article as saying, "Litz had a wife, Cherie, and a son, Brian, 5, who will forever be apart of the Sheriff's Office family. That's what we do, we take care of our own, and now we got another son to raise and we're going to take him under our wings," said Dean.

I'd like to amend that statement to say that they'll forever be a part of the 'Law Enforcement Family'; I know I can speak for our department, and think I can for almost every other department in the country by saying if there ever ANYTHING we can do for Cherie or Brian Jr., it need only be asked and every effort to accomplish it will be exhausted.

God bless Deputy Brian Litz, Cherie, and Brian Jr. and may his family find some peace in knowing his death was not in vain; he made his community, and indeed this country, a safer place to live.

Sgt. David M. Beaty, Jr.
South Bend Police Dept., IN

February 8, 2004

My sincere condolence to the family, friends and members of the Marion County Sheriff's Office. God loves each of you who mourn the loss of Brian.

Senior Trooper Keith Miller (Ret)
Oregon State Police

February 8, 2004

Dep. Litz,

You truly are a hero! Your brothers in blue could only hope to be as strong and brave as you. You had helped so many people and touched so many lives. My prayers are with you and your family and all the members of the Marion County Sheriff's Dept. RIP.

Ofc. B.M. Damon
T/ Manlius PD, NY

February 8, 2004

You, your family, your department, and the community you served are in our prayers.

Officer S.L. Coffman #15174
CHP

February 8, 2004

Rest in peace Deputy Litz, We will pray for you and your family.

SGT (RET)
NJ DOC SOG K9 UNIT

February 8, 2004

Sadly, another warrior has become a blue angel...With deepest sympathy to the family of Deputy Sheriff Brian Litz.
May God Grant you the Serenity to accept the things you cannot change, Courage to change the things you can, and the Wisdom to know the difference......

Officer Debra S. McFall
East Buffalo Twp Police Dept, Lewisburg Pa.

February 8, 2004

I would like to extend my condolences to Deputy Litz's family and friends, and to the men and women of the Marion County Sheriff's Office. My thoughts and prayers are with you all during this time of tragedy. Rest in peace Deputy Litz, your duty here is done.

Deputy Sheriff
Butte County Sheriff's Office

February 8, 2004

Once again the bell tolls for a brave Peace Officer. It tolls way too often these days.

Deputy Litz worked and guarded this county of ours for a number of years. From all that is being said of him, he did that with every fibre of his being. Here is part of an article published in the local paper that reflects this: "An example of his dedication to his fellow deputies was shown on Friday when Litz came on duty at 6 a.m. and worked his regular shift, which included helping his fellow deputies look for an Alzheimer's patient who was missing since Thursday night. On his way home, he heard deputies were looking for a burglar. He assisted them with that case, before going to another incident where deputies were in pursuit of someone. Litz did this even though his shift ended at 6 p.m."

His murder took place within a half-mile of my residence. I did not know Deputy Litz, but I may have come across him while living here in Marion County. From the bottom of my heart I say that I will be forever grateful to you Deputy Litz for your service and your sacrifice.

To Mrs. Litz and young Brian please accept my wife's and my heartfelt condolences on your loss.

To the members of the Marion County Sheriff's Department, while not as closely, we do share in your grief and sorrow for this fine young officer. We thank all you for your service.

John Bruneel
Grateful Citizen

February 8, 2004

The world has lost another one of the good guys. I pray his family will find the comfort they need in the weeks and months to come. Deputy Litz will be greatly missed by his fellow officers and the community he served.

Officer Debbie Reasoner
Maitland PD Maitland, Fl.

February 8, 2004

When I first heard the news of Deputy Litz being killed I felt as if a large weight had been placed on my chest. I had the pleasure of working with Brian on many occasions and his service to the sheriff's office and the citizens of Marion County will be missed. Deputy Litz was more than a good deputy he was a good person. My thoughts and prayers go out to Brian's family and his extended family at the sheriff's office. God Bless.

Deputy Runnels
Levy County Sheriff's Office

February 8, 2004

From members of the Florida Highway Patrol in the Panhandle of Florida, we would like to extend our condolences to the family of Deputy Litz. You will be in our prayers.

James T. Harris
Florida Highway Patrol-Pensacola

February 8, 2004

Rest in Peace Brother. We will miss you.

Trooper
Florida Highway Patrol

February 8, 2004

Another Warrior has returned to guard the streets of Heaven, until we meet again my brother. God bless your family and friends.

Lt. Joseph M. Daly
Live Oak Police Department

February 8, 2004

When God Made Police Officers . . .

When the Lord was creating Police Officers, He was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said,
"You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."

And the Lord said, "Have you read the requirements on this
order? A Police Officer has to be able to run five miles through alleys in the dark, scale walls, enter homes the health inspector wouldn't touch, and not wrinkle their uniform."

"They have to be able to sit in an undercover car all day on a stakeout, cover a homicide scene that night, canvass the neighborhood for witnesses, and testify in court the next day."

"They have to be in top physical condition at all times,
running on black coffee and half-eaten meals, and they have to have six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs of hands . . . no way!!"

"It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord, "it's the three pairs of eyes an officer has to have."

"That's on the standard model?" asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees through a bulge in a pocket before they ask, 'May I see what's in there, sir?'"
(when they already know and wish they'd taken that accounting job) "Another pair here in the side of their head for their partner's safety, and another pair of eyes here in front so they can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, 'You'll be alright, ma'am,' when they know it isn't so."

"Lord," said the angel, touching His sleeve, "rest and work on this tomorrow."

"I can't," said the Lord, "I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound drunk into a patrol car without incident and feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck."

The angel circled the model of the Police Officer very slowly. "Can it think?" she asked.

"You bet," said the Lord, "it can tell you the elements of a hundred crimes, recite Miranda warnings in its sleep, detain, investigate, search, and arrest a gang member on the street in less time than it takes five learned judges to debate the legality of the stop . . . and still it keeps its sense of humor. This officer also has phenomenal personal control. They can deal with crime scenes painted in hell, coax a confession from a child abuser, comfort a murder victim's family, and then read in the daily paper how law enforcement isn't sensitive to the rights of criminal suspects."

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Police Officer. "There's a leak," she pronounced, "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model."

"That's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear."

"What's the tear for?" asked the angel.

"It's for bottled-up emotions, for fallen comrades, for commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American flag, for justice."

"You're a genius," said the angel.

The Lord looked somber. "I didn't put it there," He said.

Rest Easy Brother, the Watch is Ours Now and Yours was with Honor. Our Thoughts and Prayers are
with your Family, Friends and Co-Workers.

APD #128
Altoona Police Dept. Altoona, Pa

February 8, 2004

I guess my heart will always hurt when I read about another officer dying in the line of duty. My prayers go out to Deputy Litz's family, friends & co-workers. I too lost a loved one in the line of duty and it is HELL to go through. May God wrap his loving arms around each of you and help you take each day one at a time. Some days will seem like you just can't take another day without him but keep moving forward to the next day...I'm sure Deputy Litz would want you to. It doesn't get any easier, it just seems like you learn to deal with your emotions better. Be proud of Deputy Litz in that his final call was to help someone. God bless you!

Denise
Survivor of Trooper Calvin E. Taylor

February 8, 2004

To the family of Deputy Sheriff Litz.

Words cannot even begin to express the grief we all share with you and your family.
Hold on to the happy time he made you laugh, let the special moments find there way into the treasure chest of the memories you hold, and let hem become keepsakes of your heart.And above all, cherished every moment you had. Stay strong for your little boy and yourself.Our prayers are with you and the Marion County Sheriff's office.

Teresa Goss
Shadco. Jax.Fl

February 8, 2004