Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Rest In Peace Officer Thomas. Our deepest heartfelt condolences to all of your family, friends, and brothers and sisters at New Orleans Police Department.

Postal Inspector Scott Horne
US Postal Inspection Service

August 13, 2013

Rest In Peace Sir!!! My deepest condolences go out to Officer Thomas's children, wife, and friends as well as the entire New Orleans Police Department. Another hero torn from the Thin Blue Line...

Deputy Michael Matranga
Orange County Sheriff's Department
Regional Traffic Bureau

August 12, 2013

Rest In Peace Brother.

Det. Andreoli
NYPD

August 12, 2013

Rest in peace Brother Rodney.

Ofc. Timothy M. Furlong
Nahant, MA PD

August 12, 2013

Rest in peace, my brother...

Sgt. J. Sawyer A7979
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

August 11, 2013

On behalf of Session #55 of the Zone Five Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy in Schenectady, New York, please accept our sincerest and heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Police Officer Rodney R. Thomas, and know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. His courage and sacrifice was a true credit to our profession. May he rest in peace.

Session 55
Zone 5 Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy

August 11, 2013

Rest in peace, Brother. God bless you and God bless the Crescent City Police.

Police Officer
Chicago Police Department

August 11, 2013

May God comfort your family, your fellow officers and your friends. Thank you for your service and may you rest in peace dear officer,

Jan Taylor, Det, Retired
Dallas P. D.

August 10, 2013

R.I.P. BROTHER Thomas!!!

Nebraska Police Officer

August 10, 2013

My thoughts and prayers are with Officer Thomas' family and his Brothers and Sisters in Blue. Rest in peace.

Deputy Johanna Polo
Monroe County Sheriffs Dept Rochester NY

August 10, 2013

Rest easy brother, you have stood your watch with pride and professionalism. Go to the promised place where you can look down to see your brothers continue what you have started. Thank you for your service. May the light of Christ ease the pain on the ones you have loved, and those who have loved you in return.

Sean D. Creamer, Chief (ret)
Tryon Palace PSU, New Bern NC

August 10, 2013

My sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Police Officer Rodney Thomas as well as to the New Orleans Police Department. Rest in peace Officer Thomas, you are gone but will not be forgotten...

Dispatcher Sue Rusch
Punta Gorda PD, Punta Gorda FL

August 10, 2013

Rest In Peace......

John Ruth, AEMD Comm. Specialist
MOMR, Farmers Branch,TX

August 9, 2013

Thank you Officer Thomas for your faithful service. May God grant your family and agency peace & comfort.

Trooper Joe Dellwo SP 446
Minnesota State Patrol

August 9, 2013

God's peace and speed Officer Thomas. Thank you for your brave, dedicated service. RIP brother.

P/O R. Popelka #7903
Chicago Police Department

August 9, 2013

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and your fellow officers!

Bryce Stevenson
Son of Fallen Ceres Police Sergeant Howard Stevenson, EOW 010905

August 9, 2013

Our thoughts and prayers are with your family, friends and coworkers during this difficult time. Your service and ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Thomas Kelly Jr., Supervisory FAM
Federal Air Marshal Service

August 9, 2013

Rest In Peace, Brother.

P.O. Randy Evans
Kansas City Missouri Police Department
Son of Patrolman Robert Wayne Evans
E.O.W 10/14/1971
HEROES LIVE FOREVER

August 9, 2013

RIP....(salute)

Retired Trooper A.D.Dezso
NCSHP

August 9, 2013

To the family, friends, & New Orleans Police Department.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. May God comfort and hold you close now and always.

A.S. Batson Patrolman
Cherry Police, Goldsboro, NC

August 9, 2013

R.I.P. Officer Thomas, we're keeping you, your family and all our brothers and sisters with the New Orleans Police Department in our thoughts and prayers. May God bless you and keep you in his loving care as we remain " Standing Tall For Those Who Have Fallen ".

Corporal James Barth
Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Honor Guard,Tampa, Fla.

August 8, 2013

RIP My Fellow Brother in Blue. My Prayers go out to the Family, Friends, and Co-Workers.

Retired Detective Don Vine #5896
Phoenix Police Department

August 8, 2013

Prayers for his family and friends and fellow officers. His life will be remembered.

Diana Gutowsky Thornbury

August 8, 2013

In Honor of your Sacrifice and for your family and friends, I salute you as a HERO! May God
Give the family and friends the strength and faith to deal with this tragic loss. Words can not express my sorrow!

"The Badge"

He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.

He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.

Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.

He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.

His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.

He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.

And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.

But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.

Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.

Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.

So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.

In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.

Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.

Written By:
David L. Bell

Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1993 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

This may be re-posted in the Honor of his death and the death of any Law Enforcement Officer!

Investigator David L Bell (Retired)
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

August 8, 2013

This poem was written after getting my wife’s 19 years perspective of being a police officer’s wife.


“He Does it For You!”

He doesn’t do it for the money,
Cause surely there’s something better to do,
He says, “Someone has to do it!”
So really, he does it for you.

His eight to twelve hours is from call to call,
From a murder to a cat in a tree,
You say he’s never around when you really need him,
But without him, where would you be?

You curse him when you get a speeding ticket,
And scream there’s something better he could do,
But have you looked at how many deaths there are on the highways,
So really, he’s doing it for you.

He’s always seeing so much bad in the world,
He really doesn’t know what to do,
He wonders sometimes if it’s even worth it,
But he knows he has to do it for you.

Each day when he leaves for work,
And I always kiss him good-bye,
I don’t know if I’ll see him again,
Cause the day might be the day he dies.

So many times he comes home from work,
And I see a small tear in his eyes,
I ask him what is the problem dear?
And he says another innocent person has died.

You always say a cop isn’t human,
Cause at a tragedy he’s cool from the start,
But you don’t have to live with him,
And watch his mind and heart break apart.

I remember one hot June night at work,
His supervisor came, “Your husband’s been hurt!”, he said,
It was such a long ride to the hospital,
They wouldn’t say if he was alive or dead.

Crime is always on the increase,
The streets a battle ground,
And when one in “Blue” is slain,
At the funeral-taps will sound.

He’ll lay in a flagged draped coffin,
An honor for those who die for this land,
Just like the Army, Navy and Marines,
He died by the enemies hands.

Most ordinary citizens won’t be at the funeral,
But you’ll see plenty of people wearing blue,
You’ll see dozens of marked patrol cars,
Honoring the one who died for you.


Written by David L Bell Copyright © 1991
Retired Deputy Sheriff after over 38 years
Richland County Sheriff’s Dept
Columbia, SC

Investigator David L Bell (Retired)
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

August 8, 2013