Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

To the Samuels family:

I did not know Matt but wish I would have had the opportunity to meet him. It sounds like he was a very good man and cared about everyone in the community that he worked.

Matt is considered a hero in my eyes, having made the ultimate sacrifice to make sure justice was done. That in its self says that he was a great person.

You are in my prayers.

Sergeant Matt Cole
Holcomb Police Department

January 24, 2005

To the Samuels family,

You are in my thoughts and prayers. Matt's sacrifice for the people of Kansas and the rest of this country will always be remembered. May you find peace and comfort in loving memories of you father and husband. God bless.

Police Officer
Montgomery County Police, Maryland

January 24, 2005

Rest in peace brother. We will take the watch from here. Watch our backs from above as we try to measure up to the standard you have set. My prayers are with your family and agency.

Officer DuWayne Tewes
Osawatomie Kansas PD

January 24, 2005

Matt Samuels was one of the finest. I am deeply saddened, not only by the loss of another fine law enforcement officer, but also in the loss of a friend. My condolences go out to his family for your tragic and sudden loss. We were all blessed to have had the opportunity to know him and share the same space with him here on earth. His genuine smile and his kind eyes will be sorely missed.

Job well done, Matt. Keep the coffee going until we can all get there for a reunion.

Detective Bethanie F. Popejoy
Liberal Police Department

January 24, 2005

Matthew is a Hebrew name meaning Gift of God. And that is exactly what Matt was~A true gift of God. He was too good for this world so the Lord called him home. He did wonderful work the short time he was on this earth and our county and our lives are all the better for it. He only wanted to make this a better place for our children to live and paid for it with his life. Matt, it was an honor and a privelege to know you and even moreso to call you "friend". You will live on in our hearts forever.

A Greenwood County Family

January 24, 2005

Matt Samuels was such a good person I know he is in the arms of our Lord. We should be rejoicing. However,its hard to rejoice when your heart is breaking.

It's not about how he died, it's about how he lived. I'm proud to have known Matt. He touched my life and I will never forget Him!

Love Ya "Matty"

Dispatcher Janna Sill
Greenwood County

January 24, 2005

my prayers are with you and your family Sheriff Samuels..

PSO Marc Hadden
Surfside DPS

January 24, 2005

I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the Samuels Family and his second family, his department and fellow officers.

I had the privilege to know and work with Matt and The Family of Samuels Law Enforcement Officers. My Brother worked for both the Eureka P.D. and Greenwood County Sheriff's Department. Being around all of these outstanding examples of Law Enforcement Officers changed my life forever. I have now been in this great profession for 16 years and am very proud to be associated with the likes of a Hero, such as Sheriff Matt Samuels.

Matt, you will be missed and thought of with GREAT respect and admiration.

Tell Charlie Hi for me.

Chief Brian Helkenberg
Cherryvale, KS PD

January 24, 2005

Matt there will not be a day go by that I will not think about you. You where the only person I have ever met that I could not stay mad at. No matter how I mad I was at you, as soon as I would come to talk to you and look at you I could no longer be mad. Thank you for allowing me to work side by side with you for the past 5 years. I miss you

Deputy JJ Smith
Greenwood County S.O.

January 24, 2005

Matt,
I learned about the law at the academy but learned about law enforcement from you. Your insight and demeanor showed me how to treat everyone better than they treated me. Your sense of humor and private anticts will bring a smile to our face for years to come.
It is said that a person may only have a handful of true friends by the end of thier lives. I count you as one of mine. We'll look in on the family as I know you will. Keep watch as you patrol the streets of heaven with the other Sheriff Samuels. You will be missed.

CW4 Jim Oliver
U.S.Army/Park City Police Dept, Park City, KS

January 24, 2005

“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

January 24, 2005

It's not how he died that made him a hero. It's how he lived.

Wichita Police Department

January 24, 2005

Sheriff, it was an honor to have worked with the few times I did. Your work here will not soon be forgotten.

Rest in Peace Brother.

Cpl Eric Lawrence
Iola Police Department

January 24, 2005

To the Samuels family,

I am so sorry for your loss. It is a tragic situation that nobody can or will understand. Your family is in thousands of peoples thoughts and prayers and hopefully time will heal. I did not know Matt personally but from everything I have read and from a fellow officer that I currently work with, it sounds like he was a great man, a fantastic father, a wonderful husband and an amazing officer.

Greenwood County and the field of law enforcement has suffered a great loss.

You will be missed Sheriff Samuels.

Aaron Eidem
Boeing Security Operations

January 24, 2005

To the family of Matt: You are in our thoughts and prayers. We are all going to miss Matt.

Matt: You had a unique way of enforcing the law, by befriending your community. I still don't understand why anybody would have done such a thing to such a great guy. You will be truly missed by everyone who knew you. Rest In Peace!

Former Eureka Citizen

January 24, 2005

A strong debt of gratitude for your service. I wish I could've been there for you at that fateful scene. I would've helped you survive or fallen beside you. I find it unbelievable that after murdering a law enforcement officer and shooting at the SWAT team when they arrested him that this filth is still alive...I'm not one to second-guess anyone, but that amazes me. God Bless you, your family and friends, co-workers, and the SWAT team members for their unbelievable restraint.
Salute.

P.O.-Michigan

January 24, 2005

Thank you Sheriff Samuels for serving and protecting citizens of Kansas. To the family of Sheriff Samuels I am sorry for your loss and I will keep you in my prayers.

Sgt. Joe Atchison
Lyon County Detention Center

January 24, 2005

To the family and friends of Sheriff Samuels, my thoughts and prayers go out to you. I did not personally know him, but have heard nothing but good things about this HERO. Matt, thankyou for giving your life to protect us. May you enjoy your walk with Jesus and continue to watch over us. My heart goes out to those who were touched by you and to your wife and kids, may your hearts heal and you remember the good times. God Bless!

Emporia Kansas

January 24, 2005

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and the Greenwood County S.O.

Fallen but never forgotten.

Bryan Laurie son of Fallen Officer
Nathan Laurie EOW 7-29-04

January 23, 2005

My heart goes out for the friends and family of Sheriff Matt Samuels. From reading previous reflections Sheriff Samuels seemed to be a close part of the community which is just as important as arresting criminals and writing tickets. I believe we need more cops like Sheriff Samuels, I am sorry that I did not have a chance to know him. Rest easy now brother, we have your back.

Patrolman
North Hanover Twp., NJ

January 23, 2005

I will always remember Matt. Every time
when our team was in basketball tournaments in Eureka, we would bet on chille dogs. Matt was like a second father to me. He would always make me fell comfortable. And mostly he would come to the games. And he is our Guardian Sheriff, and he will make us fell safe.

Kayla Vanvliet

January 23, 2005

Sheriff Samuels was the moral foundation that law enforcement in Greenwood County was built on. His example set the standards for others to follow. The Lord has saved a seat for Brother Samuels to sit at the table of our fallen brothers and sisters and bathe in the glory heaven. Brother Samuels will truly be missed and having made the ultimate sacrifice in order for others to live. He will always be remembered and his memory will forever lead by example of what a truly heroic person should be. God bless you Brother Samuels and rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers go towards your family and community.

Ofc. B. Bansemer
Derby P.D. Kansas

January 23, 2005

Matt always reminded me of a big protective bear. I will always remember his way with children and the joy it was to have him at basketball games that my daughter was in.

Dan and Tammy Van Vliet

January 23, 2005

We are thinking of your family and department at this time. We are very sorry to hear of your tragic loss. Only time will ease your pain, but please know that your pain is felt across the nation.

Maine State Police-Tr. Brian P. Scott

Trooper Brian P. Scott
Maine State Police

January 23, 2005

Our deepest sorrow goes out to Matt's family & friends.Rest easy brother.

PO S.HARRIS #223
CICERO PD, CICERO,IL. 3RD WATCH

January 23, 2005