Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

On behalf of the Santa Fe Texas Police Department, and my family, we wish to extend our most sincere condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Deputy Knearem and the Chambers County Sheriff's Dept. He is now truly watching out for the rest of us.

Officer Robert Powers
Santa Fe Police Department, Santa Fe, TX

October 28, 2004

Godspeed Brother. Rest in peace knowing that your job was well done, your God, family and country were served well. You stood for those who couldn't stand for themselves. You fought for those who couldn't fight for themselves. And now you go to a place where your troubles are over and there are no calls to be answered, however, I feel that should anyone call . . . you'll always be there. That's what guardian angels do.

Chief Mike Parrish
Daisetta Police Department

October 26, 2004

DEP. KNEAREM,
YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS, YOU WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. REST EASY BROTHER!

DEP. PAUL SPERANDEO
JEFFERSON PARISH SHERIFFS OFFICE, LA.

October 26, 2004

Our hearts and our prayers are with you. This seperation is temporary between you all and Deputy Knearem. Larry Roberts partner of "Putt" Linder killed in the line of duty 10-10-04

patrolman Larry Roberts
Wisner P.D. Wisner, Louisiana

October 25, 2004

"One thing I know: the only ones who will be really happpy are those who have sought and found a way to serve." Albert Schweitzer
My sympathy and prayers go out to the family and friends of Deputy Dirk Knearem. Nothing can replace your officer, but I pray that your memories of him in happy times will help to ease the pain you're feeling now.
Deputy Knearem did not lose his life-he gave it in service.
Rest easy, Brother; you will never be forgotten.

Sgt. Barbara L. Beland
Monroe Co. Sheriff Dept. Indiana

October 25, 2004

Prayers and condolences to his family.

Sara Winfield
Wife of Brandy Winfield EOW 10/14/04

October 25, 2004

God Speed, Brother.

P.O.K.Murphy
Union PD, NJ

October 25, 2004

To Deputy Knearem,Family,Friends and Co-Workers: My prayer are with you. May your love one rest in peace.May God give you strength to face the hard days ahead. God Bless.
D. Jones
Mother of Officer Ron Jones
EOW 12/26/01

October 24, 2004

On behalf of the Lee County Sheriff's Dept, and my family, we wish to extend out sincere condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Dep Knearem and the Chambers County Sheriff's Dept. God has truly called upon a great hero from Chambers County to patrol the streets of heaven. Dep Knearem's watch may be over but it WILL NEVER EVER be forgotten, as will none of our other brothers and sisters have sacraficed. Rest in peace brother and watch over us as we continue the fight that you so much loved. I never met Dep Knearem but feel a closeness as my wife is from Chambers County.
God bless

Captain Adam Gonzales
Lee County Sheriff's Dept, Giddings, Texas

October 24, 2004

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

Deputy Sheriff
Butte County Sheriff's Office

October 24, 2004

Dear Deputy Knearem,

You are in our prayers dear one. May your wings fly you high. Now you can release the surly bonds of earth and reach out and touch the face of God. Thank you for your protection, love and care for your fellow man. We will carry on down here and pray for your loved ones that they can get through this terrible tragedy and get on with their lives. They will make you proud just as you have made all of us proud of you. We love you. Please protect all of us and pray for us from your home above. We will meet someday.

Grandma & Grandpa Hinkle
Parents of a Deputy Sheriff

October 23, 2004

Dirk AKA "Diggler"
You will always be in our hearts. You were there when somone need to talk. You were a friend to your co-workers and the community. You are a true HERO!
Rest in Peace.
Cozmo Kreamer

Deputy Robert Kreamer #333
Chambers County Sheriff's Department

October 22, 2004

I have known and worked with Dirk during his time here at Chambers. And in those 2 years he became a very dear and close friend that was there for me, listened to my grieving story of losing my late husband, kept me awake on the phone while driving to the Academy after working long hours and he was my Field Trainer. He became my Best Friend and the void in my heart over losing him is tremendous. He certainly touched many lives, including that of many teens that adored him and have promised to make something of themselves in his Memory.
I love you Dirk and I will miss you so very much! God Bless you!

Deputy/Dispatcher Yvonne Carter
Chambers County Sheriff's Office

October 22, 2004

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. Thank you Deputy Knearem for a job well done. Please continue to watch over us and protect us as only you can. You will forever be at our side and in our hearts.

For those of you who still have loved ones with us please take the time to tell them how much you appreciate and care about them.

IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay."
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.

October 21, 2004

Pride Integrity and Guts

Some of you may know my face, but not my name. Most of you have seen me around the city and some have even met me, but not always under the best of circumstances. Some of you have even spoken to me on the phone, when you called me while I was working.

Most of you have an opinion on how my job should be done, but would never take my job if it was the last one on earth. And some of you who don't even know me, hate me because of my job. But when I go to my job, I go to make a difference and so I can fight what everyone else fears.

When most would be running away from danger, my job requires me to run towards it. I do this in the hopes of making a difference for someone else I don't even know. Most people say I make too much money, because my pay is published in the newspaper. But don't think twice about hearing about another sports player sign a 20 million dollar contract for 6 months a year of playing a "game."

Since my job's base pay isn't the best I must work extra to pay the bills. Including working extra shifts on holidays, and pick up side work at construction sites as well on my days off, most still complain thinking I am greedy, but don't they realize that I to must pay taxes, have a mortgage car payments and kids in collage as well?

Don't they understand that I am not paid for what I do, but for what I am willing to do for them? After all how can you properly compensate someone to risk their own life and face danger everyday they go to work?

And when I go to work I am punched, kicked, spit on and called every name in the book for doing my job. And every night I leave my house to go to work I realize I may not come back home in the morning. Because when I go to work I can be stabbed, shot, drown, fall, be electrocuted, or die in a car accident rushing to help you.

My job also requires me to carry special "tools" to help me do my job. Sometimes even while doing my job I have to defend myself from someone attacking me. Although, the newspapers will report to you that I "beat someone down", and not that I defended myself from an attack.

While at work I must also carry a gun to protect you, but should I have to use it, the media reports to you that I "gunned someone down" or that I "shot and killed" somebody, and not that I defended myself. Don't they realize that I shoot to live and never to kill?

Also when I go to work I wrap a protective vest around me to help keep me safe through my shift. I use this vest so that I will be allowed to live to the end of my work day. And hope and pray that should something bad happen that this vest helps keep me alive so that I will be allowed to see my children grow.

When I go to my job, I will see more pain, sorrow, agony, death and destruction in one month than most of you will see in an entire lifetime.


And to the ones who don't know me, I unforunetly will meet most of you at the worst times in your life.

You often will call me to come help you out with a problem. But if you have a really big problem you can get me at a special 3 digit number and me and my coworkers will race to your house, just to help you no questions asked. All you have to do is call and we will be there for you, no matter what time, day, night or holiday, rain shine or blizzard.

Sometimes my job also requires me to deliver lectures, babies and even bad news. I am also the one required to ring your doorbell in the middle of the night, swallow hard and advise you that a loved one will not be coming home tonight, then I spend the rest of my shift wondering why I ever took such a job.

Some people even refer to me as a "pig," but when I hear that word called to me or one of my coworkers I think of Pride, Integrity and Guts, which everyone in my profession needs to do this job.

Me and my coworkers must be able to have muscles of steel, have a sense of humor and put ourselves into dangerous situations and face danger head on all in a days work.

We must act in a second and make a decision in the blink of an eye, and spend the rest of our life hoping we made the right choice in that split second. If not we can be arrested and charged with breaking a law, be sued for violating someone's rights, or end up with even a worse fate.

My job requires me to take an oath to be their and to risk my life to protect you. And it is an oath that me and my fellow coworkers have taken and is one that we will not break.

What, you ask is my job, I am your local police officer. And what do I ask in return of doing all this and risking my life for you, nothing at all because it is my job and my hope, of being the one who makes the difference.

Officer David Carroll
choctaw, Oklahoma

October 21, 2004

The Heroes that walk among us

There are heroes who walk among us.
They seek no glory; they seek no praise.
They ask not for recognition
for their kind unselfish ways.

They live a life of deep commitment
safeguarding us and calming our fears.
While steadfast with that quiet strength
through days of crisis & times of tears.

All of this, you were to me
The most selfless one by far.
So Dirk, I'd like to thank you
For being the HERO that you are.

October 21, 2004

Deputy Knearem will be missed greatly. I had meet Deputy Knearem several times while he was on duty as well as many times in the local gym. The short time I had known him you could tell that he was a positive individual and always had a smile on his face. The Law Enforcement family has lost a well respected and very qualified officer. I know that Dirk is still smiling and is now looking over all of us.

Captain Virgil Blasdel
Mont Belvieu Texas Police Department

October 21, 2004

God bless, brother officer. Rest in peace.

Michael Ferguson, Instructor
East Texas Police Academy

October 21, 2004

BUFFALO, NEW YORK

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

GOD BLESS...

PO ERNEST G. PENN
DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE

October 21, 2004

Deputy Sheriff Dirk Knearem died a true hero. He gave his life protecting the members of his community. You now walk a beat in God's Kingdom. Rest well until we all meet. You, your family, your co-workers, and your friends are all in our thoughts and prayers.

First Sergeant Salvatore Torelli
Fauquier County Sheriff's Office, VA

October 21, 2004

To the Dirk Knearem Family my prayers are with you during this trying time. He was a HERO in the Chambers County Community. No matter where you seen him he always smiling and always willing to go the extra mile to help someone in there time of need.
He will be greatly miss by the citzens of Chambers County.

October 21, 2004

Go rest high on that mountain Brother, We got it from here. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Family and Department...GodSpeed

C C McQueen
SPD

October 21, 2004

Rest in peace Sir... You will not be forgotten.

Patrolman Joshua Adams
New Mexico State Police

October 21, 2004

My fiance, Dennis McElderry, was the first law enforcement casualty of 2003. Dennis was a Deputy Sheriff with the Davis County Sheriff's Office in southeast Iowa. Dennis died doing a job he loved, just as I'm sure Dirk did. It saddens me to know that Dennis was not the first to die in the line of duty, nor will he and Dirk be the last to die this way.

Having gone through the pain of losing Dennis I can truly understand and feel the pain that Deputy Knearem's family, friends, and co-workers must be feeling. My heart goes out to you all. No one can truly understand the pain of our loss until they've walked in our shoes. I wish I could give you a few words of wisdom to help you through this tough time, but there isn't anything I can really say or do to make the situation better. Just know that my thoughts are with you.

Please accept my condolences on behalf of the McElderry family and remember that Dirk is part of huge law enforcement family. If you ever need anything any number of them will be there for you (as I've quickly found out!) From reading the many reflections posted here, I am certain Dirk was well respected and well loved.

Thank you Deputy Knearem for a job well done and for helping to make this world a safer place for us all. Please say "hello" to my fiance Dennis for me.

Peace, Love, Luck, and Happiness!

Jocelyne Brar (Winnipeg, MB Canada)
Fiancee of Deputy Sheriff Dennis Ray McElderry - EOW (01/03/03)

October 21, 2004

The policeman stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, policeman.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my church have you been true?"

The policeman squared his shoulders and said,
"No lord, I guess I ain't,
Because those of us who carry a badge
can't always be a saint."

I've had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was rough,
and sometimes I've been violent,
Because the streets are awfully tough.

But I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at time I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fear.

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgement of his god.

"Step forward now, policeman,
You've born your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in hell"

GREGG HOUSTON
SOUTH CAROLINA

October 20, 2004