Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends, and co-workers of Officer Desha. Rest in peace our sister.

The Patrol Men and Women of
Sylvania Township PD (OH)

September 16, 2008

May God bless you and comfort the brave men and women of the LAPD. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

Sgt
North Carolina State Highway Patrol

September 16, 2008

Rest in peace sis' we'll take it from here

PO JA Bottillo
Troy NY PD

September 16, 2008

May God guide you home to help patrol the streets above. Another HERO who will not be forgotten. God bless you Officer Desha, and may God be with you family, friends and coworkers in this time of loss.

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

Anonymous

September 16, 2008

YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS

K.THOMAS, KWPD

September 16, 2008

May you rest in peace

Inv. Sorensen and K-9 Cheeto
Racine PD (WI)

September 16, 2008

My family would like to send our condolences to the family, friends, and fellow co-workers of P.O. III Spree Desha~ you're in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time. May God give you the strength to carry on and help heal your hearts. May you find comfort and support with those around you.
God bless you and rest in peace, Officer Desha!

Gail M. Pabst
Aunt of a fallen MI P.O. eow 2/04

September 16, 2008

REST IN PEACE OFFICER SPREE DESHA. YOU ARE A TRUE HERO.

Deputy Davis
Pittsylvania County Sheriffs Office

September 16, 2008

May the Lord be with the family and friends of Officer Desha today and the difficult days ahead. Thank you Officer Desha for your service and sacrifice you are a HERO, and will never be forgotten.. Rest in Peace..

Joyce
Sister of Ofc. John P Harris EOW 8/19/1994 Henrico PD Virginia

September 16, 2008

"The Badge"

He starts his shift each day
To respond to calls unknown.
He drives a marked patrol car.
A police officer he is known.

He's paid by the citizens' taxes
To make it safe on the streets.
But he usually has a second job
'Cause a waitress has his salary beat.

Now he doesn't know a holiday
'Cause he works all year round.
And when Thanksgiving and Christmas finally arrive
At his home he cannot be found.

He's cursed and assaulted often,
The one whos blood runs blue.
He seldom ever gets a thanks,
To some he's just a fool.

His friends are always other cops
'Cause people just don't understand
That underneath his badge and gun,
He's just another man.

He knows there might not be a tomorrow
In this world of drugs and crime.
And he gets so mad at the court system
'Cause the crooks don't get any time.

And each day when he leaves for work,
He prays to God above.
Please bring me home after my shift
So I can see the ones I love.

But tonight he stops a speeding car,
He's alone down this ole' highway.
It's just a little traffic infraction.
He does it everyday.

Well, he walks up to the driver's window,
And his badge is shining bright.
He asked the guy for a driver's license,
When a shot rang through the night.

Yes, the bullet hit its mark,
Striking the officer in the chest.
But the Department's budget didn't buy
Each officer a bullet-proof vest.

So he lay on the ground bleeding.
His blood wasn't blue - His blood was red.
And briefly he thought of his loved ones
'Cause in a moment the officer was dead.

In the news they told the story
Of how this officer had died.
And some who listened cared less,
But those who loved him cried.

Well, they buried him in uniform
With his badge pinned on his chest.
He even had his revolver,
He died doing his best.

Written By:
David L. Bell

Richland County Sheriff's Department
Columbia, South Carolina
Used with Special Permission of the Author
Copyright © 1993 - All Rights Reserved
and may not be duplicated without permission

Investigator David L Bell
Richland County Sheriff's Dept., Columbia, SC

September 16, 2008

Officer Desha,

May you rest in peace, you will not be forgotten.

To the family and friends of Officer Desha and the members of the Los Angeles Police Department. Please accept my condolences for your loss.

Sergeant M. Fontaine
California Department Of Corrections

September 16, 2008

When God Made Peace Officers
Unknown Author
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 his uniform."

He has 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."

He has to be in top physical condition at all times, running on black coffee and half-eaten meals. And he has 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 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 the bulge in a pocket before he asks, 'May I see what's in there sir?' (When he already knows and wishes he'd taken that accounting job.) Another pair here in the side of the head for his partner's safety. And another pair of eyes here in the front that can look reassuringly at a bleeding victim and say. 'You'll be all right ma'am.' When he knows it isn't so."

"Lord," said the angel, touching his sleeve, "rest and work on this 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 a civil service pay check."

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 the elements of a hundred crime scenes; recite Miranda warnings in his sleep; detain, investigate, search, and arrest a gang member on the street in less time than it takes five learned judges to debate the legality of the stop...and still keeps its sense of humor."

"This officer also has phenomenal personal control. He 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 fingers across the cheek of the peace officer. "There's a leak." She pronounced. "I told you that you are trying to put to much in 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 metal called his badge; for justice."
"You're a genius." said the angel.
The Lord looked somber. "I didn't put it there." he said.
To all who knew PO Desha, we here at the internet radio KWLF are sending you our prayers and thoughts to get through the dark days ahead. GOD BLESS YOU ALL

Marilyn Robinson
KWLF internet radio

September 16, 2008

Rest in Peace Sister, God bless you and your loved ones.

Officer Aaron P. Sparks
Newbury Police Dept. NH

September 16, 2008

Thankyou for your service and sacrifice OFFICER DESHA. God bless your family during these tragic times. Rest in peace and watch over us as we will carry on in your name

POLICE OFFICER
PHILA PA

September 16, 2008

God Bless the Desha family, friends & LAPD during this most difficult time. My prayers are with you!

PO Retired
City of Miami PD Fla.

September 16, 2008

My thoughts and prayers are with the family during this time. Officer Desha may you rest in peace.

Senior Deputy Ron Nordell
Pennington County Sheriff's Office Rapid City, SD

September 16, 2008

Our Lords Police Department has recieved another honorable and dedicated sister from law enforcement into it's ranks. Your loss to your department will be felt for a long time but your name and your service will never be forgotten. Know that your family will be taken care of and that all your brothers and sisters in law enforcement will forever honor your dedication, your service and your integrity to serve. As you now serve with our brothers and sisters who have also paid the ultimate sacrifice feel the peace of our Lords heavenly kingdom.
In Christ, Tom Bradley Arizona State Chaplain FOP

Tom Bradley, Retired
Phoenix AZ PD

September 16, 2008

Rest in Peace Sister. Thank you for your service.

Detective Kevin Kratz
Buena Vista Twp Police Department (Michigan)

September 16, 2008

My sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Police Officer III Spree Desha as well as to the Los Angeles Police Department. Rest in peace Officer Desha, you are gone but will not be forgotten...

Dispatcher Sue Rusch, CTO
Punta Gorda PD, Punta Gorda FL

September 16, 2008

Our hearts and prayers go out to your family and friends in their of sorrow. May God Bless and Rest in Peace!

Cpl.II David A. Murphy
TX DPS

September 16, 2008

Rest easy sister....

Badge 195
Winston Salem Police Dept. NC

September 16, 2008

RIP Sister, although training related your sacrafice is no less important. My thoughts and prayers are with your family and department.

Sgt Sean Ronan
Chicago P.D.

September 16, 2008

God bless you and your family.

Officer

September 16, 2008

Rest in peace my Sister. You have been a good and faithful servant. Your parents are in our thoughts and prayers at this time. Watch over your fellow officers and keep them from harm. You will always be our hero.

Ptl. Jim Hovan, Retired
Teaneck, New Jersey PD

September 16, 2008

Rest in Peace.

C.O. Stephen D. Celestino
Westchester County Dept. of Correction, NY

September 16, 2008