Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

THERE ARE FEW FINER PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD WHO TAKE DAILY RISKS AS DO OUR POLICE, FIRE, AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL. WHENEVER WE LOSE ONE, IT THROWS A SHROUD OVER US ALL, WHEREIN WE SHOULD REFLECT ON THE EXTREME COURAGE THAT OFFICER PATAKI DISPLAYED WHEN SHE PINNED ON HER BADGE OF COURAGE TO STAND BESIDE HER FELLOW OFFICERS AND FACED HER DUTY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY IN MY FUTURE WHEN I SHALL HAVE THE HONOR OF JOINING YOU IN HEAVENS HONOR GUARD. SLEEP PROUDLY. WE WILL ALWAYS BE WITH YOU.

PTL3 R THOMAS
GCPD

You layed down your life while in route to assist another officer. You made the ultimate sacrifice and it will never be forgotten. You will never be forgotten. May God be with your family, friends, and our brothers and sisters at the Maryland National Capital Park Police. Please watch over us.

Montgomery County Police

Our prayers and our thoughts are with you Kristin, no one will forget the sacrifice that was given.

ENL
Prince Georges County Police Dept, MD

When a department loses an officer it not only a tragic loss to the department and the family,but a tragic loss to the entire law enforcment family. We do not always know each other. sometimes we are complete strangers. When someone calls out for help or asks for help it is these strangers that show up. They dont ask questions or cast judgement they show up ,help and then a new friendships is born. When we lose an officer ( especially a young officer) we all come together as an unspoken family we are. Officer Pataki is now patroling heavens beat. She will be missed. To the Maryland-National Park Police and the Family of Officer Pataki words alone does not tell how we all feel but our sympathy and prayers are with you all

Anonymous

rest in peace

shannon yates

Kristen, We (shift 5), will forever keep you in our hearts. We only knew you a short time, but it felt like we knew you for a long time, like an old friend. You were a professional, and more important you were a kind and caring person. We will never forget your smile and your positive outlook on life. Goodbye Sister, (you really were like our little sister), we will miss you, but never forget you.

P.O. IV Daniel Mc Cort
Maryland National Capital Park Pollice

I first met Kristin shortly after she came to work on our squad. She and I struck up a close friendship almost immediately. Because we worked the same beat, we went to almost every call together and ate dinner together every night. Within the first few days of working with her, I realized that she was truly a special person and a talented police officer. Kristin had a passion for the job like no one I had ever met before. She showed a tremendous amount of heart and was truly a "cop's cop". Because of her dedication, quick thinking, and sound judgement, I trusted her with my life. I have never had such a great working relationship with another officer. I quickly took her under my wing and began teaching her the things that you don't learn in the police academy. They were the things that I have learned over the years through experience and trial and error. In return, Kristin kept me motivated and taught me to once again love a job that I had become disenchanted with in recent years. She literally breathed new life into my career. I loved Kristin like a little sister and I will always hold a special place for her in my heart.

Corporal Rob Christine
Maryland National Capital Park Police

As officers we can all understand when a fellow brother or sister is calling for us to help, its almost like nothing else matter but getting to their aid as quickly as possible. Officer Pataki sacrificed her life for a fellow officer....Her courage will be forever remembered. Rest my sister

Donald Bond (EOW)9-6-01
Julie Jacks (EOW)5-6-02

Officer C. Penney#354
Chattanooga Police Department, Tn

We lost a fine officer and friend. Our thoughts are with you, your family and your fellow officers.

Greg Prothero
GNG, Germantown MD

Kristin,
I will always remember the first day we met and how excited you were to start this new adventure. When we went to Baltimore to get fitted for our uniforms last March and we could not stop laughing. You always kept me laughing even the first week when I could not hold my soda down because I was laughing so hard at McDonald's and it ending up on you. You just laughed and said "I have dogs at home I am used to it". It was only a week ago when several of us from the academy were at court together and we will never forget your laugh and smile that day.

PO I Nicholas Augustine
Maryland-National Capital Park Police - Montgomery County Division

I'll never forget when I heard the call for a Park cruiser into a tree, my heart sank. Then in the following minutes I began to cry.

You were doing the job you loved and responding to help a fellow officer, a friend of mine.

The memorial service was beautiful, officers from the entire region were there. We are all sorry that you are gone, but we know that you are in a better place.

You and your family are in my prayers, as you were that night. We will never forget your sacrifice.
May you rest in peace.

Gaithersburg PD

Officer Pataki dedicated her life to the higher service of helping her fellow man. She sought neither wealth, nor fame, but to make her community a better place. This tragedy is a loss to law enforcement family, the community she so selflessly served and sacrificed for, and, above all, her family. She will never be forgotten, and will always be missed. Godspeed.

Anonymous

It would be simple to write that Officer Pataki, for whom many of us did not know, gave the ultimate sacrafice doing what each and every one of us do on a daily basis. However, we may all do the same job, the same thing, day after day, but on May 4, 2002, God himself hand picked Officer Pataki for a more important detail. She will watch over us and protect us until it is our time to join her. God bless Officer Pataki, our brothers and sisters of the MNCPP, her friends, family, and loved ones.

Anonymous

To the family, fellow officers, and staff of the Maryland-National Capital Park Police, the staff of the Panola County Sheriff's Department share in your grief and sorrow during this very difficult time. May God bless and keep each of you.

E-911 Dispatch Tommy Waldo
Panola County Sheriff's Department Batesville, Mississippi

...Your Joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the same well from which your laughter rises was often times filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carries into your being, the more joy you can contain...When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Some of you say "Joy is greater than sorrow" and others say "Sorrow is the greater." But I say unto you they are inseparable. Together they come and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon you bed.... Author Unknown

To Kristen's family & friends, my thoughts are with you

Anonymous

May the Lord comfort and protect the family and friends of Officer Pataki.

Rest now my sister. I feel honored to serve in the same profession as you did.

Officer John Tanabe
United States Mint Police

Final Inspection
The Police Officer stood and faced her God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, officer. How shall I deal with You?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my Church have you been true?"
The officer squared his shoulders and said,
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Cause those of us who carry badges can't always be a saint.
But I never took a penny that wasn't mine to keep,
Though I worked a lot of overtime when the bills just got too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me, I wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place among the people here.
They never wanted me around except to calm their fear.
If you've a place for me here, Lord, it needn't be so grand.
I've never expected or had too much.
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne where the saints had often trod.
As the officer waited quietly for the answer of his God.
"Step forward now, Officer, you've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's Streets. You've done your time in Hell."

-Author Unknown-
HCPD

Pfc. Jason Kindel
Howard County

"eternal be her memory"
"eternal be her memory"
"may her memory be eternal"

officer john moutzouridis #3268
san jose police dept. M.E.R.G.E UNIT

It is so sad to hear that such a young woman, just
starting in one of the greatest careers, Law
Enforcement, was taken away.

My deepest condolences to the family, friends and
coworkers.

Anonymous

May God Bless you and your family as you are in our prayers and thoughts.

SGT P.F. Mitchell
Chevy Chase Village Police Dept

May God Bless you and your family as you are in our prayers and thoughts.

SGT P.F. Mitchell
Chevy Chase Village Police Dept

As the widow, of POIII James E. Walch, the Last Montgomery County, MD Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty, my heart sank when I heard of your accident. My husband to was killed while responding to assist a Fellow Officer. Kristin and Jim never made the scene, but they will always be watching over their Fellow Officers, Family and Friends.

Carol J. Walch Berry
Widow

PoIII James E. Walch
Mont. Co. PD, MD
EOW January 25,1994

Carol J. Walch Berry

May 7, 2002

Our sincere sympathy is extended to Kristin's family, fiance, friends, and co-workers during these heart-wrenching days. That she was taken at such a young age while doing the job she loved is a part of God's plan that we don't yet understand, but rest assured that He is collecting some of His finest for His Heavenly Force. Our thoughts and prayers will be with you.

Kristin, you've joined some outstanding officers that we miss very much. Enjoy that glorious Heavenly patrol, and rest easy.

Susan & Louis Prater
Nicholasville, KY

I was privileged to have had a brief opportunity to meet Officer Pataki with her fiance. On behalf of the New Castle County Police Department, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to her fiance, family and extended "department" family. Our prayers are with you.

Deputy Chief Lawrence E. Tan
New Castle County (DE) Police Department, EMS Section

"All gave some...Some gave ALL."
Thank you Officer Pataki for giving all that you had to keep us safe.

Anonymous