Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

WHAT IS A COP?

Cops are human ( believe it or not) just like the rest of us. They come in both sexes but mostly male. They also come in various sizes. This sometimes depends on whether you are looking for one or trying to hide something. However, they are mostly big.

Cops are found everywhere-on land, on the sea, in the air, on horses, in cars, sometimes in your hair. In spite of the fact that "you can't find one when you want one", they are usually there when it counts most. The best way to get one is to pick up the phone.

Cops deliver lectures, babies, and bad news. They are required to have the wisdom of Solomon, the disposition of a lamb and muscles of steel and are often accused of having a heart to match. He's the one who rings the door-bell, swallows hard and announces the passing of a loved one; then spends the rest of the day wondering why he ever took such a "crummy" job.

On TV, a cop is an oaf who couldn't find a bull fiddle in a telephone booth. In real life he's expected to find a little blond boy "about so high" in a crowd of a half million people. In fiction, he gets help from private eyes, reporters, and who-dun-it fans." In real life, mostly all he gets from the public is "I didn't see nuttin'."

When he serves a summons, he's a monster. If he lets you go, he's a doll. To little kids, he's either a friend or a bogeyman, depending on how the parents feel about it. He works "around the clock", split shifts, Sundays and holidays, and it always kills him when a joker says. "Hey tomorrow is Election Day, I'm off, let's go fishing" (that's the day he works 20 hours).

A cop is like the little girl, who, when she was good, was very, very good, but, when she was bad, was horrid. When a cop is good, "he's getting paid for it." When he makes a mistake, "he's a grafter, and that goes for the rest of them too." When he shoots a stick-up man he's a hero, except when the stick-up man is "only a kid, anybody coulda seen that."

Lots of them have homes, some of them covered with ivy, but most of them covered with mortgages. If he drives a big car, he's a chiseler; a little car, "who's he kidding?" His credit is good; this is very helpful, because his salary isn't. Cops raise lots of kids; most of them belong to other people.

A cop sees more misery, bloodshed, trouble, and sunrises than the average person. Like the postman, cops must also be out in all kinds of weather. His uniform changes with the climate, but his outlook on life remains about the same: mostly a blank, but hoping for a better world.

Cops like days off, vacations, and coffee. They don't like auto horns, family fights, and anonymous letter writers. They have unions, but they can't strike. They must be impartial, courteous, and always remember the slogan "At your service." This is sometimes hard, especially when a character reminds him, "I'm a taxpayer, I pay your salary."

Cops get medals for saving lives, stopping runaway horses, and shooting it out with the bandits (once in a while his widow gets the medal). But sometimes, the most rewarding moment comes when, after some small kindness to an older person, he feels the warm hand clasp, looks into grateful eyes and hears, "Thank you and God bless you."

Officer David Carroll
Choctaw Oklahoma

February 11, 2005

“REMEMBER ME”
Law enforcement officers are, indeed, a special breed of people. Ask anyone on the street and they will tell you that they would not have our jobs for anything in the world. It takes something special to do what we do and at the same time be able to even contemplate retirement. We try to be optimists. Unfortunately, there are a few of us who will never make that date with retirement. By the very nature of our job, we are at risk everyday of losing our lives, either at the hand of some deranged individual or in some other situation that we, by virtue of our occupation, may be unable to avoid. Some people have recognized the hazardous duties we involve ourselves in, the risks we take, and the pride we take in accomplishing that job. There is National Law Enforcement Week, dedicated to us who gladly accept the responsibility of protecting the citizens in our respective jurisdictions. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Day is dedicated to those who gave their lives in the line of duty. These are but a two examples of remembrances specifically for law enforcement personnel. Remembrances that come but once a year. We should remind fellow officers of another type of remembrance, one that will last a lifetime. Sooner or later, a doctor will pronounce us dead. It is inevitable. Regardless of whatever happens, death is the end we will all have to face.
“IT IS IN DEATH THAT WE CAN LIVE FOREVER”
Author Unknown

Jim Moore
New Orleans P.D., Retired

February 11, 2005

Our thoughts and prayers to the Bowden and Thomas Family and the Columbia Police Department. Molly you will not be forgotten.

Lt. Tony Fields
Hallsville Police Dept.

February 11, 2005

Rest in peace sister, your bravery shall never be forgotten...

Deputy James Bradford
Bradley County Sheriff Department

February 11, 2005

Rest in Peace, sister. May you enjoy eternal happiness in Paradise. Your service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
Through your dedication and devotion, you must have proven yourself a warrior worthy of patrolling the streets of Heaven.
May those you left behind find some comfort in knowing this. Let them also be proud to have known a hero like you and to have been a part of making you the person you were. Watch over them now, keep them from harm and help them to find the strength they will need to carry on.
Godspeed.

"The best place a person can die, is where they die for others."
Barrie, Sir James M.

A Squad
Woodbridge PD CT

February 11, 2005

Few are those among us, who choose to stand in the light of Justice and relentlessly pursue those who prey on the weak and the innocent....

My deepest condolences to the Bowden Family and the members of the Columbia Police Department.

May her ultimate sacrifice never be forgotten...

Det R. RAMOS
NYPD, GANG SQUAD

February 11, 2005

Godspeed Molly! It's too bad the coward had to kill himself rather than face reality.

Trooper Mark Holthaus
Washington State Patrol

February 10, 2005

My deepest sympathies to the Columbia Police Department, and all of Molly's family, and relatives...Our thoughts are with you during your time of great sorrow.

J.Hahn #348
Aurora, IL PD

February 10, 2005

Officer Bowden,
Thank you for your dedicated service and sacrifice for the citizens of Columbia.

R.I.P.
Anonymous

February 10, 2005

My family would like to send our heartfelt sympathies to the family, friends, & fellow co-workers of P.O. Molly Bowden.
You're in our thoughts and prayers. May God watch over all the brave men and women in law
enforcement who put their lives on the line everyday as they serve & protect their communitites.
Your job is a difficult one and we truly appreciate all you do. God bless each & everyone of you.

Gail M Pabst
Aunt of fallen Detroit P.O. Jennifer Fettig eow 2-16-04

February 10, 2005

Rest in Peace and may God bless your family and your department.

Plattsburg Missouri Police Department

February 10, 2005

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

Deputy Sheriff
Butte County Sheriff's Office

February 10, 2005

MY DEEPEST SORROW TO OF ALL MOLLY'S LOVED ONES. EVIL WALK THE EARTH MY LORD.

Police Officer
Chicago PD

February 10, 2005

You shall never be forgotten.
Rest easy.

Lieutenant
California Department of Corrections

February 10, 2005

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 on this one."

And the Lord said, "Have you read the spec 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 his/her uniform."

"He/she has 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."

"He/she has to be in top physical condition at all times, running on black coffee and half-eaten meals. And he/she has 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 he/she asks, "May I see what's in there, sir?" (When he/she already knows and wishes he'd/she'd taken that accounting job.) Another pair in the side of his/her head for his/her partners' safety. And another pair of eyes here in front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, "You'll be all right ma'am, when he/she knows 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 it's sleep; detain, investigate, search, and arrest a gang member on the street in less time it takes five learned judges to debate the legality of the stop...and still keeps its sense of humor."

"This officer also has phenomenal personal control. He/she 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.

Our prayers and thoughts go out to the Bowden family.

Louis Rose / Police Academy

February 10, 2005

To the husband and step-sons of Officer Bowden;

Please accept my condolensces on the loss of your wife and stepmom. I pray that God will give you comfort and strength in this difficult time ahead of you. This law enforcement family will take you into its arms and care for you like no other. We will never let her service or sacrifice be forgotten.

Valarie Bell Wright
Daughter of Ptl. William B. Bell, EOW 11-19-02

February 10, 2005

Our condolences to Officer Bowden's family and friends and to other members of the Columbia Police Dept for this tragedy. Molly you can rest now we have the Watch now. A-SQUAD tonight will dedicate the shift in your memory. REST IN Peace.

A-Squad
W.P.D Woodbridge CT

February 10, 2005

My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and your department. You will never be forgotten.

Inv. Chris Vinson
Coosa Co. Sheriffs Dept.

February 10, 2005

I am in the police academy and I graduate in less then a month, it brings tears to my eyes to read the stories of how police officers left us. I am sorry for your loss, the world is less of a place without you. You like all officers wear a badge of courage, love and self-sacrifice. People often ask me 'why become a police officer?' My one reason is I believe my community and this country is worth fighting for... I am saddened by your loss, your family's loss... May the Lord watch over you and your family...

Louis Rose
Police Academy, Class #95

Louis Rose / Police Academy

February 10, 2005

Rest easy sister....the watch is ours now.

Officer
Atlanta Police

February 10, 2005

Upon the markers of their graves
Our heroes etched in names we save
For all the life they gave with pride
To keep the peace within life's stride

To honor serve and do their best
To keep us safe through any quest
They gave up what was theirs to share
Their spirits shall be always near

No fear within the hearts and minds
To keep us safe within our times
The glory that is ours to see
Those special hearts of bravery

They have walked where no man dare
Their lives in danger with no care
For they have given all they could
For their courage we have stood

In awe of every one who gave
His life for others who they saved
So we will know their contribution
Their firm resolve and resolution

For those they left with hearts so broken
In every whispered word that's spoken
We bow our heads in confirmation
In every word life's revelation

Those who stand within their shoes
Will follow courage as they choose
And give to all the best they had
They carry on with spirits glad

We will know that they walked through
With colors bright and hearts so true
No Island stands alone they say
For heroes they are born this way

Protecting those with loyalty
A glimpse of so much royalty
Within the years of courage bound
These officers have earned their crown

Upon the earth we shall remember
The special goals and all their thunder
That proves a hero came our way
Who left their hearts on earth to stay.

~ Francine Pucillo ~
(c)Copyright November 16, 2004
In Memory of all those lost in the line
of fire with courage, strength and love.

ASST. CHIEF BILL (PUTT) LINDER E.O.W. 10/10/04

CHIEF BILLY CUREINGTON
WISNER POLICE DEPT. WISNER,LOUISIANA

February 10, 2005

P.O. Bowden, 2005 has already claimed many police officers lives. May God Bless you and your family. Thank you for your sacrifice. I will continue to pray for you and your family during their time of grief.

Patrolman Pinter
WPD

February 10, 2005

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Officer Bowden. The lord will comfort each and everyone of you during these times of grief. Officer Bowden may you rest in peace with the lord. You will be sadly missed by me and the Law Enforcement profession. Your family will always be in my prayers. Thanks for a job well done.

Captain K. Coyle Kinard
North Charleston Police Department, So. Carolina

February 10, 2005

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Officer Bowden. you are a true hero to us all and you will never be forgotten.

DE
St. Louis City Police

February 10, 2005

As a deputy in Kansas City, I saw and heard of this shooting very quickly. It always pains me to hear this, but when it's so close to home, it really hurts. May God bless the husband, and fellow brother, and bless the family and Columbia Police Department. Rest in peace and know we'll carry it from here. God bless!

Steven C. Makarunis, Deputy U.S. Marshal
United States Marshals Service

February 10, 2005