Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

No one who has ever worn a badge shall be forgotten, not as long as there is always another to pin on a badge and carry on.

October 18, 2004

On behalf of the men and women of Industry Sheriff's Station, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, out heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of Deputy Knearum. Havning recently lost Deputy Mike Arruda (EOW 06-15-04), we know all too well the pain and reality of losing one of our own. Take comfort from knowing your extended law enforcement family grieves with you.

Rest in peace, Deputy Knearum. We salute you for your service and honor you for your sacrifice.

God bless.

Industry Sheriff's Station
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

October 18, 2004

Rest in peace Deputy SHeriff Knearum. You will never be forgotten.

Ashley Drury
Clare, Michigan

October 18, 2004

Rest in Peace Brother...We are grateful for your service and contributions to the safety & well being of our country. Be assured your loved ones are never alone for we are but a phone call away.

Bob Johnson VA-VI

Bob Johnson U.S. Marshal's (Ret'd)
Blue Knights International Police Assn.

October 18, 2004

You will not be forgotten. Rest in peace sir.

Captain Robert W. Cannon; Retired
Vermilion County Illinois Sheriff's Dept.

October 18, 2004

Deputy Knearum,
Thank you for a job well done, though I did not know you, I have spoken with those who did and from what they have said of you says so much. I too work graveyards and was on duty when I received word of your accident right after it happened. I hope and pray for your family and for you to be in in everyones thoughts. I know you were doing what you loved, and was told that you were working in the capacity of a supervisory position when you were on duty the day you passed. This speaks greatly of you that you were the caliber to be trusted to lead fellow brothers and sisters. God speed, and God Bless.

Patrolman
La Porte Police Dept.

October 18, 2004

May God surround Deputy Sheriff Knearum's family, friends and co-workers with His peace and comfort. Psalm 55:22

Denise Nichols - surviving spouse
Alabama State Trooper Brian Nichols EOW 2/17/2002

October 18, 2004

The members of the Royal Palm Beach Police Department wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the family, coworkers, and friends of Deputy Sheriff Dirk Knearum. He has fought the good fight and has now gone to his reward. Many of our brothers and sisters are gone, but none are ever forgotten.

Sergeant T. E. Murphy
Royal Palm Beach, Fl. P. D.

October 18, 2004

My heartfelt and deepest sympathies are with the family, friends, coworkers of Deputy Knearum. You mourn not alone. Thank you for your service, Deputy, and rest peacefully in the palm of God's loving hands. To all of you on the thin blue line, thank you for putting your lives on the line every day. Be safe out there.

Michigan

October 18, 2004

“When God made Peace Officers….”

When the lord was creating Peace Officers, he was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.”

And the Lord said, Have you read the spec on this order? A Peace Officer has to be able to run five miles through alleys in the dark, scale walls, enter homes the health inspector wouldn’t touch, and not wrinkle their uniform.

They have to be able to sit in an undercover car all day on a stakeout, cover a homicide scene that night, canvass the neighborhood for witnesses, and testify in court the next day.

They have to be in top physical condition at all times, running on black coffee and half- eaten meals. And they have to have six pairs of hands.

The angel shook her head slowly and said, “Six pairs of hands….No Way.”

“It’s not the hands that are causing me the problems,” said the Lord, “It’s the three pairs of eyes an officer has to have.”

That’s on the standard model? asked the angel.

The Lord nodded. One pair that sees through a bulge in a pocket before he asks, “May I see what’s in there sir?” (When they already know and wishes they had taken that accounting job.) Another pair here in the side of their head for their partners’ safety. And another pair of eyes here in front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say, “ You’ll be alright ma’am, when they know it isn’t so.”

“Lord,” said the angel, touching his sleeve,” rest and work tomorrow.”

“I can’t,” said the Lord, “I already have a model that can talk a 250 pound drunk into a patrol car without incident and feed a family of five on civil service paycheck.”

The angel circled the model of the Peace Officer very slowly, “Can it think?” she asked.

“You bet,” said the Lord, “It can tell you elements of a hundred crimes, recite Miranda warnings in it’s sleep; detain, investigate, search, and arrest a gang member on the street in less time than it takes five judges to debate the legality of the stop…and still it keeps it’s sense of humor.

This officer also has phenomenal personal control. They can deal with crime scenes painted in HELL, coax a confession from a child abuser, comfort a murder victim’s family’ and then read in the daily paper how Law Enforcement isn’t sensitive to the rights of criminal suspects.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Peace Officer. “There’s a leak,” she pronounced. “I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.”

“That’s not a leak,” said the Lord, “It’s a tear.”

“What’s the tear for?” asked the angel.

“It’s for bottled-up emotions, for fallen comrades, for commitment to that funny piece of cloth called the American flag, and for justice.”

“You’re a genius,” said the angel.

The Lord looked sober. “I didn’t put it there,” he said.


Anonymous

Senior Instructor
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

October 18, 2004