Officers down in Odessa

Residents of the Permian Basin have been overwhelmed by the news of the shootings in Odessa in which two police officers, Corporal Arlie Jones and Corporal John (Scott) Gardner were killed, and another officer, Corporal Abel Marquez, was  hospitalized from wounds received in the shooting.  That sort of thing just doesn't happen out here.

It's difficult to come up with anything appropriate to say in a situation like this, however long time friend Suzanne S. Hildebrand of San Antonio helped out with an email:

As a former TCLEOSE commissioner and the wife of a 46 year career lawman, I have been to far too many funerals of our first line of defense.  The number one killer of Police Officers in this country is domestic violence.

I like the way you write about law enforcement, and I wanted to encourage you to address the horrific events of last night. I'll never get used to these things, each one causes me pain and I get so damn mad because so often the woman won't file charges and the drill starts all over again. I'd love to know how many other domestic calls have been made to this couple's residence.  Seldom are they first timers.  Anyway, I'm just distraught and you're the first person I thought of.

Suzanne, I really respect your passion and commitment, and your words say it so much better than I could.  Thanks for letting me post them.

And our sympathy goes out to the families of the officers. See Odessa reels from loss.   And a fund has been set up for the officers' families.  For information about that go to the Odessa Police Department website.

Comments

[Janie]

Ms. Hildebrand is right about how you honor law enforcement. I enjoy reading your blog.

[Geo]

Thanks Janie. They have a hard job, and they won't get rich on a cop's salary. But they do a great job of it, and we owe them for the risks they take.

[Les]

Your support is recognized and appreciated George - and it's been shown on your blog long before this. It's been a rough week with yesterday really tough but unfortunately we're not done until Cpl. Marquez is honored. I spent most of yesterday at the Odessa Communication Center before attending the funeral of Cpl. Jones. The dispatchers here have taken the tragedy hard but with professionalism that is almost mind-boggling when you know what they do. All police officers, even the retirees, can't help but replay the events in their mind, remembering hundreds of similar calls, and trying to sort the actions and emotions. What could have been done differently? What can be done in the future? How can you remain more alert after working the same call time after time? And the dispatcher replays the call in his or her mind over and over second-guessing themself. Did I miss a clue? Could I have better-prepared the officer? Was there something in the caller's voice I missed? And the eventual realization that there was nothing else they could have done or said when the call was dispatched. They know in their heart that the officer is on his own when he goes into those situations but they can't help but feel like they've dispatched an officer into harm's way. Few know how protective dispatchers feel of the officers they send to these calls. Even the police officers and firefighters forget how tight the bond is. Cpl. Jones, Cpl. Gardner and Cpl. Marquez gave their all and each would've answered the same call even had they known the gunman was waiting for them. The dispatchers show up for their next shift knowing it could happen again on any call. But it's their jobs. Like the officers on the street, the dispatchers love their jobs and they're good at it.

[Suzanne Hildebrand]

Les, as you know all too well, too often our dispatchers are forgotten and their job is a very difficult one. They are at the hub of the activity and oftentimes feel helpless when events turn violent, but they continue to do their jobs. We recently had a dispatcher here who was on duty when her husband, a San Antonio Police Officer, died in a horrific on-duty car crash. She maintained her position, continued doing her job until she was relieved. It is a very difficult job and I, for one, have always been grateful to them for their part in keeping my husband and others safe.

[Geo]

Les and Suzanne,

Thanks for giving us the dispatchers' perspective. That must be a very stressful job -- all they can do is sit and listen as horror unfolds.