1998

Memorial for 1998 (In Memory of...) This is the new list of officers killed in the line of duty. 1998 has just begun and sadly there has already been a few officers to add to this page. A lot of time and dedication goes into being a police officer. It's difficult, especially when we have people killing cops. The statistics are horrible and their stories are real. In 1997 alone, 176 officers died. Please take a moment to look through this list.

Officers killed as of 12/14/98 in line of duty	Total: 152 (US Alone)
Gunfire	60
Hit by vehicles/car accidents	46
"Other" *Not any of the above catagories	46

Please remember that May 10-16 is National Police Memorial Week. Take a minute to remember our fallen heros. "In valor there is hope" Officer Thomas Meyers Department: Kansas City, Missouri Survived by: Wife/daughter/son Years of employment: 13 Cause: Hit by vehicle Killed: 1/14/98 Age: 53     Other: Officer Thomas Meyers was assisting a motorist on the slick icy roads in KC. A Lincoln Continental with 54 yr. old Larry Bittick at the wheel hit a Jeep Cherokee the Officer and two others were standing infront of. The other two survived, Officer Meyers died at the scene. Bittick was taken into custody. He was charged with assualt on a law enforcement officer and two counts of assault. KCMO police have said what a great officer Meyers was and everyone will miss him. --Updates still to come.
The Fallen Hero     "10-60," whispered the officer over her radio. 10-60, a dreaded call that means officer needs help. This code may be a cop's last words. Everyone will rush to the scene. Even then, the officer's chance of survival is slim.
    The rookie officer walks into her new place of employment, the police department. Her eyes scan the room nervously as she sits down at 1300 hours for briefing. Her mind is called back to attention by a stern voice.
    "QUIET!" yells the sergeant over the officers. The sergeant gets through with briefing and sends them out for their shift. As the rookie officer climbed into her cruiser a call came over the radio.
    "Officers respond to a 10-36, suspect may be 10-35," said the dispatcher in a bored voice. A 10-36 is a disturbance and a 10-35 is an intoxicated person, recalled the officer. She arrived at the scene and saw a son and his mother fighting. The mother had punched the son in the face. The rookie placed the 10-35 under arrest. That call lasted briefly but it will always be her first call.
    She had many great memories in her short career. Of course, like in every job, not every day was a picnic.
    "Why did I ever become a cop?" she asked out loud. She remembered her childhood dream. Her mind drifted for a moment.
    "You want to be a cop for Halloween, AGAIN!" exclaimed her mother. She wiped a tear from her eye. Her mother had been gone two years now. The dream of being a cop was worth more than gold to the rookie. She remembered one of her first days in police academy.
    "If you're in this for the money, leave." said the instructor. No one moved a muscle.
    "If you're in this because you think it will be easy, leave." said the instructor. The officer's attention was directed back to her job as she saw a man speed past her.
    "Here we go," she thought. She turned on her blaring sirens and bright lights. The speeding man pulled over and the officer walked up to his car. The man rolled down his window.
    "Is there something wrong, Officer?" asked the man.
    "Yes, Sir, you were going forty in a thirty." replied the officer.
    "You wait here, I'll probably just give you a warning." said the officer, not expecting a reply. The officer went back to her car. She looked carefully at the man's license. She punched in the information and found out he had an outstanding warrant. The officer walked back up to the man's car to place him under arrest.
    The man in the car found his gun. He clutched it tightly as the officer approached. He anxiously waited for the right time. The gun was shaking in his right hand.
    "Sir, you'll have to step..." the officer said and stopped. She barely had time to reach her holster before she was shot twice in the chest.
    "10-60, I've been..." whispered the officer over her radio. Those were her last words. A long parade of police vehicles form a straight line as another mother cries out for her daughter or son. The torch still burns...in the memory of.

This story is based on the many officers that lost their lives this year alone. The events have been taken from many situations and made into one. Any similarities to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.