Officer Down Memorial Page

I was with Deputy Blyler in the early hours of his End of Watch date. I reflect to day on what occurred and the young Deputy I thought so highly of. We met in the Communications Center parking lot and I discussed some insignificant issue or matter from a call he had handled. As we had numerous times in the past we spoke about both of our love for this profession. Josh was one of those rare young men who you could not help but like. He always had a smile on his face and he never seemed down. All of his shift mates loved him. Even at his young age he had a maturity beyond his years which served him well in his chosen profession. At the conclusion of our conversation as I often do I told him to be safe. He looked at me with the big smile he always had on his face and said "It's all good Sarge". He drove off and i went back to doing the paperwork a supervisor does at zero dark thirty in the morning. While I sat there I monitored a transmission come across the radio which sounded like someone saying a Deputy had been involved in a wreck. No one spoke up on the radio. I asked the dispatcher if she had heard anything and was told no. I asked her to do a radio check of all our units in the field. Then for the first time in my career as the individual numbers were called and everyone but Josh answered with a 10-4 I immediately felt the lump in my throat and instructed personnel to start looking for him. I started heading toward the area he was working in and heard one of our other units advise he found him and he had been involved in a wreck. By the time I reached his location numerous members of St. John's County Fire Rescue were frantically trying to free him from his vehicle. I immediately relized it was bad. I began performing the duties of the supervisor on scene. All the while wanting to be with him. As the stearing wheel was removed from his chest I could tell he was really bad. I spoke to him and told him he was going to be alright and to hang in there. He looked at me and his final words were "it's all good Sarge". Those were the last words I am aware of Deputy Josh Blyler said before he passed. One of the problems with having been in the business for a while was all too often I had dealt with death. 8 years as an investigator increased that number 10 fold. I knew he was not going to make it but had to try and give him hope. Josh I still think about you often and you will always be remembered. You represented the best of our young men and women who get into this business for the right reasons. I was also one of the ones who met with Josh's mom and dad that morning and took them to the hospital. As a father and now a grandfather I pray never to see someone in uniform show up to my door in the middle of the night. With a daughter a Detective now in a neighboring county I live with that worry but I know she too loves this business and does it for the right reasons. I often hear some in our ranks say I would never let my kid be a cop. I could never say that. With the exception of the Marines I served with, the men and women of Law Enforcement are some of the noblest and honorable I have ever known. I would say how could I not want my daughter to be one herself. So Josh here's to you and those like you. You live on in many of our hearts and minds. May you find rest and peace and I will see you again and we will talk about old times. Honor Courage and Committment!!

Sergeant Michael R. Quintieri
St John's County Sheriff's Office ( Josh's supervisor)
May 3, 2012

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