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COVER STORY: A FINAL TRIBUTENational Peace Officers' Memorial Week offers a chance for family and fellow officers to give final respects to law enforcement heroes being remembered at memorial ceremonies in California and Washington, D.C. We begin with a feature on the National Memorial, followed by the California Memorial. Never Let Them Walk Aloneby Jeff Doyle, Parole Agent, Retiredphotos by Joe Baumann, Staff Photographer  On Saturday, May 13, United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales delivered the keynote address at the National Peace Officers' Memorial candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C. Assembled before the attorney general were the survivors of some 165 officers lost in the past year, along with thousands of uniformed officers, law enforcement families and others who simply wanted to pay their respects.Attorney General Gonzales' remarks were stirring and emotional to be certain. Most poignant to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Los Angeles Sheriff's Department contingents, however, was the attorney general's specific mention of the murders of Correctional Officer Manuel Gonzalez and Deputy Jerry Ortiz: "Manuel Gonzalez, Jr., was a take-charge kind of officer. He served in the California Department of Corrections. A prison, it is often and correctly said, is the toughest beat to walk. Yet, he did his job at the California Institute for Men in Chino with eagerness and a sense of humor for more than 16 years. "On January 10 of last year, a convict, reportedly a gang member, attacked Officer Gonzalez with a shank. "As if this tragedy weren't enough for Officer Gonzalez's widow, six children, and many relatives, less than six months later, his brother-in-law, Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Jerry Ortiz was also killed, again in a suspected gang-related incident. Deputy Ortiz had served for 15 years and was assigned to the anti-gang unit. While interviewing a witness, he was shot in the head at pointblank range. "The alleged gunman had a rap sheet 15 pages long, including an outstanding warrant for attempted murder. Somehow, he was on parole. "Deputy Ortiz had been decorated with the Award of Valor. He had been married three short weeks and leaves two sons from a previous marriage. "What can we say to families that faced such tragedies? "I fear any words I might say would be inadequate. I have not lost a son or daughter or spouse. I have never felt your pain, your sorrow, your loneliness. I have never sat alone in anger, asking God, 'Why?'"  Families arriving at airports and other transit stations were greeted upon arrival by various Honor Guards. They were then transported by police motorcades to the host hotel where volunteers with the Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS) organization provided personal assistance, conducted support seminars, lent a sympathetic ear or a shoulder upon which to cry. The majority of the families were clearly overwhelmed by the attention, praiseand honors heaped upon them. Yet, it was just as clear the officers and volunteers involved felt it was the least they could do. So, they did more. Tours of the Capitol, its many monuments and nearby attractions were provided to the families free of charge. Families were encouraged to forge new friendships with fellow survivors. Grief counselors were available, many of whom were also police survivors. In short, everything was done to make the families feel welcomed and loved. Judging by the outpouring of affection and emotion evident, that mission was accomplished.  The climax of the week's events was the Dedication Ceremony, conducted on the lawn in front of the Capitol building. The brief, dignifi ed ceremony concluded with a keynote address by President George W. Bush, who has attended every memorial ceremony since he took office. In his address, the president offered words of praise, sympathy, and respect to the families assembled before him. The sincerity of his words was obvious, to most, in a speech delivered from the heart and punctuated by emotion. However, it appeared he felt words weren't enough.Upon concluding his remarks, President Bush stepped down from the dais that was draped with red, white, and blue banners that read Never Let Them Walk Alone, and approached the fi rst row of survivors. But this wasn't just another photo-op for the 6 o'clock news. Rather, the president remained there for nearly three hours, greeting and hugging all who were so inclined. The Gonzalez family was not to be disappointed. A uniformed David Gonzalez, who joined CDCR to honor his brother's sacrifice, was seated with his parents during the ceremony. "He walked right up to my parents and said, 'You must be the Gonzalez family. I heard about your loss,' and then he hugged and kissed my mom. He was so real and sincere," Gonzalez said of Bush's heartfelt gesture, adding the president was also happy to pose for photos with the family, an experience that will live in their hearts for years to come.  Manny Gonzalez's name is now on the Wall of Honor in Washington, DC. His family, and those of the other honorees, have since returned home. Even as they departed, law enforcement families elsewhere were receiving bad news. They too, became survivors of fallen peace officers, as will others throughout the year. Surely, the idea of memorial services, posthumous honors and a trip to the nation's Capitol must be the last thing on anyone's mind. It certainly couldn't bring any comfort.Yet, comfort, peace, and hope is truly what National Peace Officers' Memorial Week is all about. Next year, another assembly of grieving families will receive the hospitality afforded this year's survivors. They, too, will discover they are not alone; their heroes will not be forgotten. Continue Reading: Page 1 | Page 2  Print This PageBack to Volume 23, Issue 3 Back to PEACEKeeper Main Page |
