Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

In Honor of your Sacrifice and for your family and friends, I salute you as a HERO! May God
Give the family and friends the strength and faith to deal with this tragic loss. Words can not express my sorrow!

"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

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

May 31, 2014

Rest in peace trooper, we have the watch. To the family, friends and brothers and sisters in gray of the NYSP, your brother will never be forgotten. BLESSED ARE THE PEACE MAKERS!!!!

Dep Keith Warner
Columbia County Sheriffs Office, Ga.

May 31, 2014

Rest in Peace Brother

Trooper J. Gajdosik Retired
Wisconsin State Patrol

May 31, 2014

Thank you for your service. Thoughts are with your blue and blood family during this difficult time. Rest in peace.

Deputy David Post
Reno Co Sheriff's Office Hutchinson, Ks.

May 31, 2014

My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and loved ones. May you Rest in Peace.

Special Agent
Homeland Security Investigations / HSI Chicago

May 31, 2014

Rest easy brother. Thank you for your service.

PO Olasokan
NYS University Police

May 31, 2014

Our prayers and thoughts to the family and co workers of the fallen officer.

Deputy Sheriff Paul T. Thompson
Dane County Sheriff's Office, Madison, WI

May 31, 2014

Rest In Peace Brother.

Det. Andreoli
NYPD

May 31, 2014

May you RIP Trooper Skinner and thank you for being a warrior while protecting others. May your family have the strength to continue and learn to celebrate your life. You will NEVER be forgotten!

Captain Dan Hurley (retired)
New Jersey State Police

May 31, 2014

Godspeed brother. Rest in peace.

Trooper C211
NYSP

May 31, 2014

God bless Tropper Skinner's Family, friends and coworkers and give them strength and peace to get through their grief and pain. R.I.P Trooper!

Wm Jean-Paul Rochat
Swiss Army, MP, Trafic Unit

May 31, 2014

NYSP losing way too many troopers in the last few years. RIP to them all.

Sergeant
Mashpee, MA Police

May 31, 2014

May the Lord Jesus bring comfort and peace to your widow, children, family, friends and colleagues. Thank you for you great and honorable service to your community and the great state of New York. May you rest in peace, and may those you left behind remember you with hope and courage.

David Odom
Brother of Deputy Marshal Leroy Odom Jr, EOW: June 20th, 1972

May 31, 2014

Rest in peace Trooper Skinner. May you find safety above with your fellow brothers and sisters in law enforcement.

ADA
Onondaga County (NY) District Attorney's Office

May 31, 2014

Rest in peace Trooper Skinner. You will never be forgotten.

Marcia Cook Williams
Sister of Thomas Cook EOW 9/27/06

May 31, 2014

God bless..

senior officer
fbop

May 30, 2014

Thank you for doing your part and keeping us all safe. A true hero!

Robert Hutter
New Bern NC Police Department

May 30, 2014

Rest In Peace Trooper Christopher Skinner. Thank You For Your Service To The Great State Of New York. God Bless You Trooper Skinner and Also God Bless Your Family, Friends and Fellow Officers. May They Be Helped Through Their Grief and Heartache.

Ed S.
Grateful Citizen

May 30, 2014

Well done good and faithful servant. RIP Trooper.

Ofc. William Chapman
Newtown, CT Police Dept.

May 30, 2014

My sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Trooper
Christopher Skinner as well as to the New York State Police. Rest in peace Trooper Skinner, you are gone but will not be forgotten...

Dispatcher Sue Rusch
Punta Gorda PD, Punta Gorda Fl

May 30, 2014

no words can do justice to such a tragedy, rest in peace trooper.

Deputy Taras
Washington County Sheriff's Office

May 30, 2014

A life lost so needlessly and taken so recklessly. Trooper Skinner, your family is in my prayers and I hope they know that, so long as they keep you alive in their hearts and minds, you'll never truly be gone.

God Bless and may you forever Rest in Peace, Brother.

Ptl. Jim Leahy, Jr.
Harvard University Police Dept.

May 30, 2014

RIP Trooper Skinner. Our thoughts & Prayers are with you, your family and friends. and the Brothers & Sisters of the N.Y.S.P.
Thank you for your service. God Bless.

Lt.Robert M.Petty (Retired)
North Bergen N.J.P.D.

May 30, 2014

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." [Matthew 5:9] And my thoughts and prayers to your family & fellow troopers.

Tom
Grateful NY citizen

May 30, 2014

Thank you for your service, Trooper. You will never be forgotten by those Countrymen who cherish freedom and respect those who provide that most precious gift. You remain an honored member of "The Thin Blue Line". My heartfelt condolences to your precious children, Mother, brother, fiance, immediate family, friends and coworkers in the law enforcement community.

T. Huber, TSgt, USAF, Retired
USAF Security Police (law enforcement retired)

May 30, 2014