Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

There is so much i could say about my dad. Any person who had the chance to meet him should consider themseleves blessed.

Everyone i have met that knows my dad loved him. My dad touched everyones heart in his own special way. Love of family, passion for life, happiness and laughter are what made him so special.

I am blessed by god to have a dad whos heart and soul belonged to me. I am so proud to be his daughter and i will live my life just as he did.

I will hold and cherish the memories, joy, and heartfelt moments we shared together here on earth. When we meet in heaven, we will share our love for eternity.

I LOVE YOU DAD!

Thank you so much to everyone who has left a reflection in honor of my dad it is truly amazing to me.. A special heart filled thank you to Mac, Rolf, Mo, Bert, Captain Wilson, Frank Valent, Danny, Carrie, Dave, Dal, Steve, J.D., Laurie, Deidra, Georgine Rye, Sheriff Beary, and Everyone else at the Orange County Sheriffs Office who are family to us..

Racheal Lemus

May 16, 2005

To the wife, son, daughter, family, friends and coworkers my heart and prayers are with you all. May God Bless you as you struggle with the loss of a true HERO.

Deb Azure
Mother of Deputy Renee Danell Azure
EOW 08/06/02

May 16, 2005

I had the pleasure of meeting Rocky's son at the funeral. He is the spitting image of the old man. I will miss your dad John-Paul. If you ever feel the desire to follow in his footsteps, be sure to call me. If I can teach you half as much as I learned from Rocky, you will make a great cop.

DFC William Gabrielski
Orange County Sheriff's Office

May 16, 2005

I worked along-side Rocky for six years. His easy-going nature and sense of humor endeared him to all those who knew him. His nose for finding bad-guys was unequalled by anyone else I have ever worked with. This was a tremendous loss for our community. Rocky was a fixture in our field-training unit, and many of our deputies honed their skills under his tutelage. We can all continue to learn from Rocky by being extra careful with respect to blood-borne pathogens. I will miss him terribly. Please pray for his wife and daughter. Miss you buddy!

DFC William Gabrielski
Orange County Sheriff's Office

May 16, 2005

The Florida Police Chiefs Association would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Deputy Lemus, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of great sadness. Please take comfort in knowing that your extended law enforcement family grieves with you. Deputy Lemus, we thank you for your service. You will not be forgotten.

Kay Huneidi, Administrative Asst.
Florida Police Chiefs Association

May 16, 2005

YOUR SERVICE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN, YOU ARE A HERO. THE THIN BLUE LINE WILL NOT FORGET YOUR SERVICE TO COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTRY. GOD BLESS YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR DEPT. REST IN PEACE SIR, BE NOW HAVE YOUR BEAT.

OFC. CHARLES ROBSON
ORMOND BEACH POLICE DEPT.

May 15, 2005

May God bless and comfort Deputy Sheriff Lemus' wife, family, friends and co-workers.My thoughts and prayers are with you.

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

May 15, 2005

WHAT IS A COP?

Cops are human ( believe it or not) just like the rest of us. They come in both sexes but mostly male. They also come in various sizes. This sometimes depends on whether you are looking for one or trying to hide something. However, they are mostly big.

Cops are found everywhere-on land, on the sea, in the air, on horses, in cars, sometimes in your hair. In spite of the fact that " you can't find one when you want one", they are usually there when it counts most. The best way to get one is to pick up the phone.

Cops deliver lectures, babies, and bad news. They are required to have the wisdom of solomon, the disposition of a lamb and muscles of steel and are often accused of having a heart to match. He's the one who rings the door-bell, swallows hard and announces the passing of a loved one; then spends the rest of the day wondering why he ever took such a "crummy" job.

On TV, a cop is an oaf who couldn't find a bull fiddle in a telephone booth. In real life he's expected to find a little blond boy " about so high" in a crowd of a half million people. In fiction, he gets help from private eyes, reporters, and who-dun-it fans." In real life, mostly all he gets from the public is " I didn't see nuttin'."

When he serves a summons, he's a monster. If he lets you go, he's a doll. To little kids, he's either a friend or a bogeyman, depending on how the parents feel about it. He works " around the clock", split shifts, Sundays and holidays, and it always kills him when a joker says. " Hey tomorrow is Election Day, I'm off, let's go fishing" ( that's the day he works 20 hours).

A cop is like the little girl, who, when she was good, was very, very good, but, when she was bad, was horrid. When a cop is good, " he's getting paid for it." When he makes a mistake, " he's a grafter, and that goes for the rest of them too." When he shoots a stick-up man he's a hero, except when the stick-up man is " only a kid, anybody coulda seen that."

Lots of them have homes, some of them covered with ivy, but most of them covered with mortgages. If he drives a big car, he's a chiseler; a little car, "who's he kidding?" His credit is good; this is very helpful, because his salary isn't. Cops raise lots of kids; most of them belong to other people.

A cop sees more misery, bloodshed, trouble, and sunrises than the average person. Like the postman, cops must also be out in all kinds of weather. His uniform changes with the climate, but his outlook on life remains about the same: mostly a blank, but hoping for a better world.

Cops like days off, vacations, and coffee. They don't like auto horns, family fights, and anonymous letter writers. They have unions, but they can't strike. They must be impartial, courteous, and always remember the slogan " At your service." This is sometimes hard, especially when a character reminds him, " I'm a taxpayer, I pay your salary."

Cops get medals for saving lives, stopping runaway horses, and shooting it out with the bandits ( once in a while his widow gets the medal). But sometimes, the most rewarding moment comes when, after some small kindness to an older person, he feels the warm hand clasp, looks into grateful eyes and hears, " Thank you and God bless you, son."

Officer Dave Carroll
Choctaw, Oklahoma

May 15, 2005

Rest in peace sir. thank you for your service. God bless.

Shannon
Collins Fire Dept.

May 15, 2005

Brother Deputy,
You may be gone from this earth but your family will reunite again. Thank you for your service.

Dave Schoengart
Jefferson County (KY) Sheriffs Office

May 14, 2005

Rest in Peace...

Police Officer
Syracuse Police Dept,NY

May 14, 2005

My heartfelt condolences to the family and the Orange County S.O. for the loss one a love one and fellow Deputy.

Tahnk you Deputy Lemus for your service to the Community and for a job well done. R.I.P.

Cpl Barry W. Cannon
Center Hill Police Dept, Center Hill Fla

May 14, 2005

You Are In Our Thoughts:
On Just How Far This Job Takes Us All.
Then, We ask Does anyone really Care.

Yes, There are thoes that do:

We will Hold your Family up in these days ahead:

Your Work was well Done.
Now you are Home safe in Jesus arms.

God Is with your Family, and you are with us who are walking these streets now without you.

Keep Us safe from Day to Night:
Help Us to Hold on and To Be Strong.

God Bless your Family For Now, Your Death Has Touched My Heart in such a way I had to say Good Bye.
Yes, You are Our Hero, Now You are Home.

We Cry not because you are Gone, But Because we are Left Behind.

Sunshine From Michigan
Wayne / Macomb / Oakland

May 14, 2005

Rest in peace brother.

Deputy Daniel J. Luffman
Monroe County (NY) Sheriff's Office

May 14, 2005

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE
OFFICERS SEND OUR CONDOLENCES. OUR
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH DEPUTY
LEMUS, HIS FAMILY AND CO-WORKERS.

GOD BLESS...

PO ERNEST G. PENN
DEPT. OF VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE - BUFFALO, NEW YORK

May 14, 2005

Deputy Lemus,
Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. You and your family are in our prayers. Rest Easy Brother!

Dep. Paul Sperandeo, Off. Amy Sperandeo
Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office, Gretna Police Dept. LA

May 14, 2005

On behalf of the men and women of my department, our thoughts and prayers go out to Rocky's family, friends and co-workers. Rocky, rest in peace brother, we now have the watch.

PBA
TOWN OF CAMILLUS POLICE DEPARTMENT, NY

May 14, 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 ***

Chief ( retired ) Douglas A. Koeppen
Washington New Jersey

May 14, 2005

Thank you for your dedication and service. You will not be forgotten. Rest in peace.

Police Officer
Los Angeles Airport Police

May 14, 2005

Rest in peace my brother.

Police Officer
Burlington Township PD NJ

May 14, 2005

God bless Deputy Sheriff Mariano (Rocky) Lemus, his family, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office

Corporal P.R. OLIVER
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

May 14, 2005

"Just think,
You're not here by chance,
but by God's choosing.
His hand formed you
and made you the person you are.
He compares you to no on else--
you are one of a kind.
You lack nothing
that His grace can't give you.
He has allowed you to be here at this
time in history
to fulfill His special purpose
for this generation!"
--Roy Lessin


My father was Rocky's corporal and though I was not as close to him as others were during his time here on earth, you can see just how very important he was in the tumultuous outpouring of grief, and absolute respect of their fallen brother by his squad and commanding officers.

I pray that God bring peace and strength to make it through to a reassurance of brighter days to come for those family members Rocky is now watching over from the heavens above; and also, to my dad, Mac, Carrie, Laurie, Steve, Dal, Lou, Lucas, Pedro, Chris, J.D., Sheriff Beary, and all of Rocky's brothers and sisters at the Orange County Sheriff's Office.. Thank you for all that you do in putting your lives on the line day in and day out so we may be safe, always know that you have an angel watching over you!

God bless!!

Danielle Wainwright-Gunn
Daughter of Corp. David Wainwright (O.S.C.O.)

May 13, 2005

Our thoughts and prayers are of Rocky,his family and friends . God Bless

Police Officer
Chicago Police Dept.

May 13, 2005

Deputy Lemus,
I would like to say thank you for your service to the citizens of Orange County.

R.I.P.
Anonymous

May 13, 2005

Rest easy dep., god speed.

Deputy Sheriff Brian Quinn
Monroe County Sheriff's Office (MI)

May 13, 2005