Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

Rest in peace brother, your sacrifice will never be forgotten.........

Detective Edward Carlile
Northfield (OH) PD

November 26, 2009

Officer Leach,

What would the average citizen say if it were proposed that Police Officers be assigned to a neighborhood which was inhabited by no one but criminals and those Officers would be unarmed, patrol on foot and be heavily outnumbered ? I wager that the overwhelming public response would be that the Officers would have to be crazy to accept such an assignment. However, as you read this, such a scenario is being played out in all areas of the country. We are Correctional Officers, not Guards(Who are people that watch school crossings). We work at minimum, medium and maximum security Correctional Facilities. We are empowered by the State to Enforce its Penal Laws,Rules and Regulations of the Department of Corrections. In Short, we are Policemen. Our beat is totally inhabited by convicted felons who, by definition, are people who tend to break laws, rules and regulations. We are outnumbered by as many as 100 to 1 at various times of our workday and, contrary to popular belief, we work without a sidearm. In short, our necks are on the line every minute of every day. A Correctional Facility is a very misunderstood environment. The average person has very little knowledge of its workings. Society sends its criminals to Correctional Facilities and, as time passes, each criminal's crime fades from memory until the collective prison population becomes a horde of bad people being warehoused away from decent society in a place where they can cause no futher harm. There is also the notion that prison inmates cease to be a problem when they are incarcerated. Correctional Facilities are full of violence perpetrated by the prison population against the prison population and facility staff, Felonies are committed daily but are rarely reported. They are called "unusual incidents" and rarely in criminal prosecution. Discipline is handled internally and, as a rule, the public is rarely informend of these crimes. In the course of maintaining order in these facilities, many Officers have endured the humiliation of having urine and feces thrown at them. Uncounted Correctional Officers have been kicked, bitten, stabbed and slashed with home made weapons; taken hostage; murdered; and even raped in the line of duty, all while being legally mandated to maintain their professional composure and refraining from any retaliation which could be the basis for dismissal from service. In addition to these obvious dangers, Correctional Officers face hidden dangers in the form of AIDS, Tuberculosis or Hepatitis B and C. Courts are now imposing longer sentences and the prison population is increasing far beyond the system's designated capacity. As the public demands more police on the street, governments everywhere are cutting police in prison where violence reins supreme, jeopardizing all those working behind prison walls. Although you will never see us on "Top Cops" we are Law Enforcement Professionals. We are the "FORGOTTEN COP," hidden from public view, doing a dangerous beat, hoping someday to receive the respect and approval from the public whom "WE SILENTLY SERVE"

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Correctional Officer
Ca. Dept. Of Corrections

November 26, 2009

May God bless this officer and his Family.....

CO. Michael Sheehan
Westchester County NY DOC

November 26, 2009

After your many years of service, RIP Officer Leach. Thank you for your dedication and service. May God bless you, your family and your department during this tragedy.

Fellow Officer
Louisiana Association of Crisis Negotiators

November 25, 2009

I am truly saddened by the death of Officer Leach. The family of this man can be so proud that they were blessesd to know him. The loss I feel is, that I did not. Thank You sir, for your committment to our safety.

Lt Amborn
MN Dept of Corrections

November 25, 2009

RIP Officer Leach and thank you for your many years of service.

Police Officer W. Mosher P#8726

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Anonymous

November 25, 2009

Godspeed Sir...Go in Peace

Dy. R. Murphy
J.D.S.O.

November 25, 2009

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

CPL David Murphy
TX DPS

November 25, 2009

Officer Leach, thank you for your dedicated service over the past 25 years. We have it from here my brother, rest in peace and god speed.....

Officer Christopher M. Peckham
Massachusetts Department of Correction

Officer Christopher Peckham Sr
Massachusetts Department of Correction

November 25, 2009

Our heartfelt sympathy to the Leach family. Rest In Peace. May god watch over his family, friends and colleagues.

From the Southern Command State Troopers.

The Nevada State Troopers
Nevada DPS/Highway Patrol Division

November 25, 2009

Officer Leach,
We mourn the loss of you, a pillar of the community. It is so apparent that you loved life and made a difference wherever you were. Thank you for your service. To your family, we will always be here for you.

Det. J. Clark
LVMPD

November 24, 2009

Rest in peace Officer Leach...

P#13727
LVMPD

November 24, 2009

REST IN PEACE BROTHER. YOU ARE A TRUE HERO.

Deputy J.D.Davis
Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office

November 24, 2009

Rest in peace!

Patrolman Jeff Tripp
Marion,Ma Police Dept

November 24, 2009

The Florida Police Chiefs Association would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Correctional Officer Daniel Leach, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan P.D. 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. Officer Leach, we thank you for your service. You will not be forgotten.

Members and Staff
Florida Police Chiefs Association

November 24, 2009

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, REST IN PEACE.

N.J. TROOPER
NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE

November 24, 2009

My sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Correctional Officer Daniel Leach as well as to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Police Department. Rest in peace Officer Leach.

Sgt Jean Paul Rochat
Swiss Army, MP Service, Traffic Unit

November 24, 2009

Rest, brother.

Cpl Steve Headley
Mishawaka, IN police

November 24, 2009

RIP brother, our thoughts and prayers go out to your family.

SA
FBI

November 24, 2009

Thoughts and prayers are with your family and your agency. RIP Brother in Blue.

Police Officer D. Kirk #309
Round Lake Heights PD (IL)

November 24, 2009

Our thoughts and prayers to the family of Officer Leach. God Bless him for dedication and service to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Rest in Peach sir, you will not be forgotten.

Sgt. Jim May (ret.)
CMPD Charlotte, NC

November 23, 2009

Rest my brother.Please watch over us.God speed.

Deputy R. L. Matthews
Father of Deputy C. Brian Matthews EOW 9-30-05

November 23, 2009

RIP brother, you will be missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to your family.

Sgt E. Winter
Miami-Dade PD

November 23, 2009

To the family of Officer Leach, my deepest sympathy's, you
are all in my prayers. Please, seek support & comfort
in the fellowship of the LVPD & the COPS program. Nothing,
will bring your officer home, he is over the Thin Blue Line
and will watch over you from above.....

Connie Jones, mother-in-law
Deputy Sarah Jones, EOW 10-19-08

Connie Jones
LEO survivor in-law

November 23, 2009

Rest in peace Brother.

Correctional Officer II
Arizona Department of Corrections

November 23, 2009