Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

My sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Deputy Sheriff Bryan Berger as well as to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office. Rest in peace Deputy Berger, you are gone but will not be forgotten...

Dispatcher Sue Rusch
Punta Gorda PD, Punta Gorda FL

April 29, 2014

Thank you for your service, Deputy Berger. You chose a noble profession and way of life, and your family is no doubt proud. You will never be forgotten. God bless.

American

April 29, 2014

Rest in Peace Deputy Berger, you are now Safely Home.

Sheila Jones
Fredericksburg S.O. , Ret. Fredericksburg P.D.

April 29, 2014

My thoughts and prayers go out to Deputy Berger, his family, friends, his co-workers at the Spotsylvania County Sheriffs Office, and his classmates and staff at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy. Thank you for your service Deputy Berger. We've got the watch from here.

Lieutenant
Fredericksburg(VA) Police Department

April 29, 2014

Rest in peace brother

Cpl. BP Sullivan
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

April 29, 2014

Thank you for your service Bryan. I did not know you but you were my brother nonetheless. My condolences to your family, friends and coworkers at the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office.

521
FSO

April 29, 2014

REST IN PEACE BROTHER. YOU ARE A TRUE HERO.

Deputy J.D.Davis
Pittsylvania County Sheriff's office

April 29, 2014

May the good lord welcome you with open arms, for you have done your job well.

Chaplain Douglas J. Maykowski
Fraternal Order Of Police Lodge #187 Mt. Clemens Michigan.

April 29, 2014

I would like to thank you all for the kind remarks and best wishes. Bryan's Mom and I never realized the number of people touched by our son. I just want to say thank you from the both of us.

GySgt Vonda Berger
USMC Military Police

April 29, 2014

RIP Deputy Berger. Thank you for your service to LE as a Deputy & Dispatcher. May God watch over your Family and all LE.

Former Trooper Ken R. Bays
Virginia State Police

April 29, 2014

My thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and co-workers of Deputy Bryan Marshall Berger. Another Hero taken too soon. May God comfort you and your family as you go and touch the face of God.
Your honorable service and sacrifice and bravery to the citizens of Spotsylvania County, Virginia will not be forgotten. God Speed and God Bless. Rest in Peace Sir.
Final Salute

VIPS 750 Jeff Claybern
Alexandria Kentucky Police Department

April 29, 2014

Deputy Berger though your time in your department uniform was short. Your service will never be forgotten.

MONICO GARZA EMT-I
Salt Lake City, Utah

April 29, 2014

R.I.P. BROTHER Berger!!!

Nebraska Police Officer

April 29, 2014

"The Final Inspection"
The policeman stood and faced his 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 badges 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 times 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 silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod.
As the policeman waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, policeman,
You've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in hell."
Author Unknown

Sergeant Chad Miner
Powell PD, WY

April 29, 2014

Our condolences to the friends and family of Deputy Sheriff Bryan Marshall Berger. May he rest in peace.

Zone Five Academy Session 56
New York State Zone Five Regional Law Enforcement Training Academy

April 29, 2014

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

April 29, 2014

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

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

April 29, 2014

May you rest in peace after having served those around you. My thoughts are with you, your family, fellow officers and friends.

Reserve Officer G. Krystof
Los Angeles Police Department

April 29, 2014

Deputy Berger, thank you for your service. May God Bless your family, friends and fellow Deputies as they endure the difficulties of living without you. I hope that they take comfort in knowing you are still on Duty, watching from above. Rest in Peace Brother

Master Deputy Robert Unverzagt
Johnson County Sheriff's Office, Johnson County KS

April 29, 2014

RIP Brother

Deputy Anita Price
Bexar County Sheriff's Office, San Antonio, Texas

April 29, 2014

Whatever our duty, or wherever we serve, we are all brothers and sisters in this most honorable calling. We have lost yet another brother who we must never forget.

My deepest sympathy to both his family and his law enforcement family. My thoughts and prayers are with them. May he rest in eternal peace.

Sgt. Tom Waller, Cincinnati P.D., Ret.
Greater Cincinnati Police Museum

April 29, 2014

R.I.P. Deputy Berger, you and your family will be in my prayers.

Brenda Coble, Surviving wife of
Tpr. Blake T. Coble, PSP, E.O.W. 10/4/12

April 29, 2014

I salute you and your family.

Randalyn Benson
Survivor daughter of Chief James Leonard Speer

April 29, 2014

Rest in Peace Deputy Berger. Thank yoy for your service. My thoughts and prayers are with the Berger Family and the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office.

Cpl. Gary Hughes (Retired)
Passaic County Sheriff's Office Wayne, NJ

April 29, 2014

Rest In Peace Deputy Berger

Civilian supporter and future LEO
Lorain, Ohio

April 29, 2014