Police Officer Daniel T. Maloney

As I write this I am sitting on duty at the 35th street fallen officers memorial on EMS duty.

40 years ago at this time I was a 21 year old kid who had been in and out of trouble with the police. One officer however had befriended me and had taken the time to talk to me and mentor me. That officer was Dan. I was working at a local hardware store and Dan had recently bought a home with his wife and would come to my store to purchase items and get advise on things. I had met his wife and had come to view him not as an officer but as my friend.

On the night of December 26 I was coming home from a date and saw Dan on duty sitting at S. Parliament Dr and Princess Anne Rd at the Texaco. I pulled in and we started talking about how our Christmas was and he told me how excited he was to know that next Christmas his child would be with his family. We chatted for a few minutes when a yellow Cadillac made a sudden turn down S. Parliament lights off. I will never forget Dan giving me a big grin telling me he would be right back and he took off after the Cadillac.

I waited several minutes and decided to drive down to the end of the street to see why he had not come back out. When I got there I saw his cruiser with lights on and door open. Another officer came past me approached his car and I immediately knew something was wrong. I came up to the scene and saw Dan wounded. I felt totally helpless as more officers came to the scene and then rescue.

I spent the next hour with a detective giving information about the car and the subject driving and ultimately learned that Officer Bell had shot and killed the suspect at Providence and Kempsville.

That day has lived with me forever. Years later I decided I could no longer feel helpless when someone was injured and I became a paramedic. I retired as an EMS chief at 56 and went to work again with Virginia Beach EMS where I remain on duty today. I have no doubt had Dan not taken the time to befriend me and mentor me that my path in life would not have turned out as it did.

I am forever grateful to Dan and hope that I have honored his life the best that I could.

So to any officer reading this. If you think one officer cannot make a difference you can. I am proof of that.

Rest In Peace Dan you are missed and will never be forgotten.

Rusty

Senior Paramedic Russell Blow
VBEMS , friend

December 27, 2021