Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Our thoughts and prayers to the family of Deputy Van Kuren and the Bradford County Sheriff's Department.
Illinois State Polce

Illinois State Police

April 1, 2004

"....From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:......"
-William Shakespeare, Henry V

Anonymous

April 1, 2004

There are but two persons who protect the sinful human race from destroying itself. One is God's Holy Spirit. The other is the Peace Officer. Without them, we would all perish at each other's hands.

You were called into this profession and our Lord and Savior has blessed you because:
According to Romans 13.1-5...
God ordains the Peace Officer’s profession.
The Peace Officer is sent by God.
The Peace Officer is vested with God's authority to enforce the law.
A Peace Officer's badge is to be honored by us, because it is honored by God.

You gave the ultimate sacrifice, your life for your fellow man, while serving, defending, and protecting others in your community.

To the family of Deputy Sheriff Michael Van Kuren and the Bradford County Sheriff's Department, your extended family of Law Enforcement Officers grieves with you during this time. I pray that God will wrap his loving arms around each of you and comfort you during this most difficult time.

To all my brothers and sisters, please remember the fallen officers we have lost. Remember the men and women who died trying to make this world a safer and better place for us all to live in. Please pray for this officer's family and friends as they struggle with this tragedy.
May God be with you every day, please remember, we are a part of the largest family in the world and when one hurts we all hurt.

Though our badges and uniforms may be different, our mission is the same. Rest easy with our other fallen Brothers and Sisters, we have the watch now. We will continue the fight in your honor.

Florida Deputy Sheriff

April 1, 2004

There are but two persons who protect the sinful human race from destroying itself. One is God's Holy Spirit. The other is the Peace Officer. Without them, we would all perish at each other's hands.

You were called into this profession and our Lord and Savior has blessed you because:
According to Romans 13.1-5...
God ordains the Peace Officer’s profession.
The Peace Officer is sent by God.
The Peace Officer is vested with God's authority to enforce the law.
A Peace Officer's badge is to be honored by us, because it is honored by God.

You gave the ultimate sacrifice, your life for your fellow man, while serving, defending, and protecting others in your community.

To the family of Deputy Sheriff Michael Van Kuren and the Bradford County Sheriff's Department, your extended family of Law Enforcement Officers grieves with you during this time. I pray that God will wrap his loving arms around each of you and comfort you during this most difficult time.

To all my brothers and sisters, please remember the fallen officers we have lost. Remember the men and women who died trying to make this world a safer and better place for us all to live in. Please pray for this officer's family and friends as they struggle with this tragedy.
May God be with you every day, please remember, we are a part of the largest family in the world and when one hurts we all hurt.

Though our badges and uniforms may be different, our mission is the same. Rest easy with our other fallen Brothers and Sisters, we have the watch now. We will continue the fight in your honor.

Florida Deputy Sheriff

April 1, 2004

MAY GOD BLESS YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS. YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE IN MY PRAYERS. MAY YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS FIND COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT YOU ARE WITH GOD.

"THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STENGTH"

police officer, florida

April 1, 2004

“When God made Peace Officers….”

When the lord was creating Peace 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 spec on this order? A Peace 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 the 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 he asks, “May I see what’s in there sir?” (When they already know and wishes they had taken that accounting job.) Another pair here in the side of their head for their partners’ safety. And another pair of eyes here in front that 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 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 civil service paycheck.”

The angel circled the model of the Peace Officer very slowly, “Can it think?” she asked.

“You bet,” said the Lord, “It can tell you elements of a hundred crimes, recite Miranda warnings in it’s sleep; detain, investigate, search, and arrest a gang member on the street in less time than it takes five judges to debate the legality of the stop…and still it keeps it’s 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 Peace 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, and for justice.”

“You’re a genius,” said the angel.

The Lord looked sober. “I didn’t put it there,” he said.


Anonymous

Senior Instructor
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

April 1, 2004

My family, agency and myself extend our most loving thoughts and PRAYERS to your family, agency and friends. GOD must have needed two heros to handel a 911 in heaven.

Deputy C. E. Pickett
Muscogee County Sheriff's Office, Columbus Georgia

April 1, 2004

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family and fellow officers of Deputy Van Kuren.

While I did have the privilege to have known him personally, I am certain that he has found a place in heaven. Rest in peace my friend; those of us who remain will cover your post on the thin blue line.

Anonymous

April 1, 2004

Our sincere condolences go out to the family of Deputy Van Muren and to all the personnel of the Bradford County Sheriff's Department who worked with him.

While it is no consolation for your loss, remember that we, and many others in this country, appreciate the sacrifice that he made in his effort to ensure the safety of the public.

God bless.

Southwest Central Dispatch
Palos Heights, IL

April 1, 2004

May you rest in peace my fellow brother. I send my most heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Deputy Sheriff Michael Van Kuren.

Somebody Didn't Make It Home ©

Under cover of night, They're paid to fight
For what is good, and wrong and right.
Somebody didn't make it home today.

They leave their families, and their wives
Kiss the kids, and risk their lives
Somebody didn't make it home today,

They work each day, out on their own
But as of tonight, a new star has shone
Somebody did'nt make it home today.

So with your family, shed a tear
Hold them close, it's what we fear
Somebody did'nt make it home today.

-Richard Frawley 1999-Milford PD,CT

Future Law Enforcement Officer
Clinton County, Michigan

Anonymous

April 1, 2004

Five hundred years before Christ was born lived a man named Heraclitus. Heraclitus was a General, and in the business of training warriors. He had this much to say about that business...
“Of every one hundred men they send me, eighty of them are nothing but targets. Ten of them shouldn’t even be here. Of the ten that are left, nine are real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they the battle make. Ah, but one, one is a warrior, and I must find him, for he will bring the others back, and he the battle wins.”

Rest in peace warriors, we who remain will continue the fight and honor your sacrifice. You and your family will be in our hearts and prayers. We will never forget...

Undercover Narcotics Officer
South Bend M.S.O.S.

April 1, 2004

Dear Van Kuren Family,

I am sorry to hear about your loss. Only a coward would shoot a police officer, I look forward to reading about their capture and justice being served. Take some comfort in two verses from the Bible: "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." Matt 5:4 and "Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." Matt 5:9. God Bless

Ofc. Mike Snyder
Coral Springs PD, Florida

April 1, 2004

My thought and prayers are with the family, friends, and co-workers of Deputy Sheriff Van Kuren.

Patti
sister of Sgt. Michael Johnson, VT State Police, EOW 6/15/03

April 1, 2004

To the family, friends and co-works of Deputy Van Kuren we at Philadelphia Warrant Unit express our deepest condolences in your time of sorrow. We also know your pain as we also are going though a recent in the line of duty lose. Keep your head up and know that he will always be a hero to all. God bless you all.

Philadelphia Warrant Unit

April 1, 2004

It comes as quite a shock to know that another brother has died. But what makes it incredibly hard is that I knew mike. Mike was an instructor at the Deputy Sheriff's Academy. Probably one of the nicest guys you would ever meet. He was like a big brother, not a little guy by any means. He was the kind of guy that was willing to teach you something and not make you feel foolish if you did it wrong. But would help you to learn in the correct way. So in closing, rest in peace mike your watch is over, you have served well. You will be missed, it was great to know and learn from you.

Deputy Joshua A. Stine
York Co. Sheriff's Office

April 1, 2004

Thoughts and prayers to co-workers and family of Deputy Van Kuren. Rest in peace.

Ofc. Michael Walker
Tallahassee Police Dept.

April 1, 2004

Rest in Peace. Protect us from above.

PO
Syracuse Police Dept

April 1, 2004

The Wayne County Detectives Association offers its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues of Deputy Van Kuren. His untimely loss is a tragedy not only for his own family and department, but for his much larger Pennsylvania and U.S. law enforcement families. God bless!

Charlie Newsome, Executive Board
Wayne County Detectives Association (MI)

April 1, 2004

Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Deputy Van Kuren. May his memory never be forgotten. Deputy Van Kuren was my brother in blue, who was loyal and dedicated to protecting and serving his community.

Rest in PEACE.....

Officer B. Morris
Belleair Police Department, FL

Officer B. Morris
Belleair Police Department, FL

April 1, 2004

Go easy brother....they will be found a you will be vindicated...
An officer from a neighboring PD

April 1, 2004

To the Family, Fellow Deputies, and Friends of Deputy Michael Van Kuren please know we are thinking of you at this horrific time and we will keep a constant vigilence.....justice will prevail....

Officer Debra S. McFall
East Buffalo Twp P.D. Lewisburg, Pa.

April 1, 2004

I am greatly saddened by this loss. Although I live away, Bradford County will always be home to me. This is a stark reminder that evil can occur anywhere. It is through the efforts of fine men Such as Deputy Van Kuren, that we can live safely, and his sacrifice will not be forgotten.

To Deputy Van Kuren's family and friends, I'll be praying for you.

To the men and women of the Bradford County Sheriff's office and my friend Sheriff Steve Evans, thank you for your courage and dedication to duty. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Francis Gublo #1700
Richmond VA Police 1985-87

April 1, 2004

To the friends and family of D/S Van Kuren, may God bless you and be with you in this time of sorrow! America lost another hero today; Rest in peace brother your work on earth is done; go patrol the highways of heaven and guide us all to protect and serve others safely. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. God Speed

Diane Dodge
Polk County Sheriffs Office, Bartow, FL

April 1, 2004

You will be missed. Rest in peace knowing that we will continue your watch here on earth now that you are patrolling the streets of heaven.

NJP
Montgomery County Police Department, MD

April 1, 2004

May God be with the wife, children, family, friends and coworkers of Deputy Van Kuren. My heart and prayers are with you all in this terrible time of loss. Thank you Deputy Van Kuren for a job well done, may you now rest in peace and patrol safer streets above.

Deb Azure
Mother of Deputy Renee D. Azure, EOW 08/06/02

April 1, 2004