Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

IT IS SAD TO SEE ANOTHER BROTHER IN BLUE TAKEN FROM US BY THE HANDS OF ANOTHER COWARD. MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO OFFICER CROSSES FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FELLOW OFFICERS.

PATROLMAN CHAD R MULLEN
HORNELL POLICE DEPT NY

April 25, 2005

Mark, we share the same first name and the same occupation. On Saturday night I was working and could not get to your help call fast enough. My fellow in Law Enforcement, God has now promoted you and said A Job Well Done. Sleep on my brother and take your rest. Mark 14:41

To the family and children of Mark. Keep your faith in God. Your loss is the Kingdom of God's gain. Find comfort in prayer.

Mark Gardner
Atlanta P.D

April 25, 2005

rest in peace brother.....

Ptl. Casey M. Long
Ocean Twp. PD, NJ (Ocean Co.)

April 25, 2005

MAY GOD BLESS AND WATCH OVER THE CROSS FAMILY AND THE FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE ATALANTA POLICE DEPARTMENT.

DEPUTY A. GUERRERO
SANGAMON COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE - ILLINOIS

April 25, 2005

TO: The family; loved ones; friends and department members: A POLICE OFFICER’S PRAYER:--- O, gentle Lord ! Keep the day/night watch with me. As I begin my tour of duty, I ask your protection from all mental, physical and spiritual harm. Sustain me with the knowledge that I am doing your work, endeavoring to keep peace among your people. Help me to be just as I enforce the law without prejudice or favor to anyone. May I be courageous but not reckless in carrying out my duties. Let me respond to all calls with haste realizing that so many are dependent upon me for life and safety. Support me with your consoling power when I am tempted to think no one really cares and that I am taken for granted. Sustain in me the conviction that so many thousands do care and are grateful for my presence. Grant that I may be loyal to my partner and my fellow officers, and that I may back them up effectively when called upon for assistance. Lord, I ask that I may return safely, after my tour of duty, to my loved ones and those who love me. I pray that I may be a good and honorable police officer; and after my tour of duty is over here on earth, may I enjoy the peace and happiness of heaven that you have promised to those who serve you well. AMEN. *** REST IN PEACE *** Sent to you by the father of Detective J.D.Koeppen, Raleigh North Carolina; Trooper D.C.Koeppen, New Jersey State Police and Patrolman A.M.Koeppen, Wilmington North Carolina.

Chief ( retired ) Douglas A. Koeppen
Washington New Jersey

April 25, 2005

May God bless and watch over you all at this time. Thank you for all of your service Officer Cross.

Sister of a police officer. St.Charles Mo.

April 25, 2005

May God bless you and keep you always. My heart goes out the family and friends of Officer Cross. You will not be forgotten.

DE
St. Louis City Police

April 25, 2005

You served unselfishly and gave the ultimate sacrifice. You are a true hero my brother.

Rest in peace.......

Sergeant Daniel Steidle
Pacifica, CA PD

April 25, 2005

My condolences go out to Officer Cross wife, Children and his Brother and Sister Officer's of the Atlanta Police Department. It is a sad day when a Cop is gunned down by a thug, a Cop who is trying to put food on the table and provide for his family.
My Department just buried one of our own on Thursday and now Officer Cross will be with him looking over our shoulders to keep us safe.
Rest in Peace my Brother your tour is over.

PTLM. MIKE WALKER
PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT

April 25, 2005

God be with you and your family in your time of sorrow, I will keep you in my prays

April 25, 2005

god bless you and your family co-workers and freinds your in our prayers wife of( det william rolniak jr eow 2-4-04)

April 25, 2005

“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

April 25, 2005

Rest in peace my brother..Now walk with god..

Detective Wayne Scivicque
Hammond Police Department

April 25, 2005

God bless you, your family, friends, and co-workers. Please continue to keep watch over all of them from above.

Jennifer Aaron
Wife of Ofc. Duke G. Aaron, III (EOW 07/20/04)

April 25, 2005

Our thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends as they travel through this awful time.

You were a great student at the MCTFT class in Forsyth, GA. You are remembered for being brave and committed to your field. The people of Atlanta will miss your dedication to their safety. You are a true hero!

All of the instructors from MCTFT miss you.

Sgt. Jim Wentz
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, FL

April 25, 2005

My deepest sympathy goes out to all of the family, friends, and coworkers of Officer Cross. Rest in peace. You are a true hero, not for how you died, but how you lived.

Andrew, Police Officer
Baltimore City Police

April 25, 2005

GOD BLESS OFFICER CROSS AND HIS FAMILY.

Investigator Ralph Harper
Dept of Community Health Medicaid Fraud Unit

April 25, 2005

Godspeed my brother. Rest easy, We'll take it from here.

Police Officer
City of Reading, PA

April 25, 2005

RIP Brother!!! Please look after us as we continue on the fight. I pray for for your Wife, Children, and Department.

Ofc. R. A. Collar
Cobb Co PD, GA

April 25, 2005

For the family of Officer Mark Cross:

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the children of God”. Matthew 5:9

I didn't know Mark personally, but I knew him. I knew him for what he stood for, for the job he did everyday, and for the hero he was. I knew Mark because I knew other heroes like him. He made the ultimate sacrifice for what he believed in and what fought for. Mark surely was a reflection of his parents and his family and this should make each of you very proud.

God bless you all.


For the officers of the Atlanta Police Department:

On February 24, 2005 we, Douglas County, lost Deputy Blake Gammill. He was shot to death. So we feel the same emptiness, we cry the same tears, and we miss him greatly. The same as you do with Mark. It was the worst period of my 30 year law enforcement career.

Find comfort in each other. Talk about Mark everyday and always hold him in your heart. Be proud that you shared a small portion of life with someone like him. Keep up the fight and make him proud. He is now watching over us all.

Rest in peace my brother.


Captain Eddie Morris
Douglas County Sheriff's Office
SERT Team Commander

Captain Eddie Morris
Douglas County Sheriff's Office

April 25, 2005

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Thank you for your bravery, courage and commitment to the badge – your hard work and valiant efforts will never be forgotten. May you rest in peace…

A Relative of Officer Robert Stanze
EOW: August 8, 2000

April 25, 2005

Mark You will be missed dearly. We worked together in zone five. Then you came to REDDOG. We had fun, shared lots of memories that will never be frogotten. Team 5 was always there for you. We still are for you and your famliy. I will never for get you..REDDOG for ever. SPEED STEALTH STRENGTH

Officer T.J. Janes
Seattle Police Dept.(Former APD REDDOG)

April 25, 2005

To the entire Atlanta PD and the family of Officer Cross my heart goes out to each and every one of you I will keep all of you in my prayers. Stay strong and Officer Cross rest easy we'll take over from here for you.

Grand Prairie Police Department,Texas

April 25, 2005

Rest easy brother your job here is done. May you look over all men and women in blue and keep us safe.

Ptl. Bundren
Lockland Police, Ohio

April 25, 2005

REST IN PEACE MY BROTHER OFFICER. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND THE DEPARTMENT. ALOHA AND GOD BLESS.

POLICE OFFICER
HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT

April 25, 2005