Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A Fallen Protector

Police officers are never fully trusted or appreciated.

Here in Indianapolis, we have one who has been trying to use the legal system to wrangle out of a drunken driving charge while on duty, one that resulted in the death of an innocent man and serious injuries to two others.

We have had rogue undercover narcotics cops raiding suspects' homes, taking money found, keeping the drugs and selling them.

We have seen overzealous cops who have arrested people who may have deserved to be roughed up because they thought they could whip the officer during a police action, but in no way deserved to be pummeled mercilessly well after they had been neutralized.

It's just like any other urban police force in the nation here in the Midwest, we have some who lie, cheat, and steal, all behind the cover of a badge. In the midst of their corruptions, we all know well that it is these cops that usually make the news.

But for the most part, the majority of police officers on the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department are people like anyone else. They are fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and many good friends to other people they know. They get up everyday and work hard to make the place they live in safer, from people who care nothing for others or their properties.

Is someone breaking into your house? Who do you call?

Someone stole your car? Who do you call?

The list can go on, but the fact remains that these people volunteer to put their lives on the line everyday. They put on their uniform, walk out that door to go to work, not knowing what they will face on that given day. Their enemy wears no uniform, therefore they cannot be easily identified.

Last Sunday, one such officer did just that.

He woke up to the alarm, got ready, got dressed, and left his home. While out early that morning, he made a traffic stop. It turned out the car had been stolen. As Officer David Moore approached the car he had stopped, a man jumped out and shot him four times, quite possibly a couple of times after he was down and unconscious.

Since that time, he has been hanging on by a thread in a local hospital. After he was stabilized enough to get an MRI to determine the extent of his injuries, it was learned that nothing could be done to save his life. So the family had to make preparations to donate his organs and take him off life support. They had to make a lifetime's worth of decisions in the course of the last 24 hours, for a tragic event that just happened three days ago.

This morning before the sun came up on the city, IMPD Officer David Moore died. Mr. Moore died because someone didn't want to go to jail for something he knew he did wrong. He died because a bad man shot him for doing his job.

No charges have been filed yet in the case, but the suspect is in jail for robbing a Dollar General Store in the ensuing moments after the shooting. He did this, knowing the entire police force would be distracted at the scene where he had done his dirty lowlife deed.

My sources tell me they are building a good case against the depraved bastard who perpetrated this act. I just wish they could put me in a room with him for a few minutes, and go get themselves a cup of coffee. I wouldn't kill him, I promise.


ADDENDUM:

By all accounts I have heard for a variety of sources, this guy was one of the good ones. Check out the video and/or read the story at this link.

6 comments:

A.C. McCloud said...

Nicely said, LA. There is indeed evil in this world.

LA Sunset said...

How often does that evil pass us by, while we are unaware? Makes me wonder.

Chuck said...

My bet is cop killers enjoy prison. I suspect they are favorites of the guards and they are sure to keep a good eye on them and be sure they stay safe.

I work with a lot of officers in the ER. They are mostly good people. I have seen them do things to help people that they never get credit for, they just quietly go back to their jobs.

LA Sunset said...

Chuck....by all accounts I have heard (both on and off the record), this was a special one. Dad is a retired Lt. on the force, mom is currently a Sgt. in a district. They are holding up very strong and were extremely proud of him.

He graduated from Purdue, but still chose law enforcement. It had to have been a true calling.

Z said...

This made me cry.
I know there are bad cops but so many are so good....and even when they react in ways people consider inappropriate, I can't help but think "but, they've been on duty, tense, for hours, they have family at home, and this guy pulled a gun on them! Maybe they reacted in ways that aren't to the letter of their training, but.......they're PEOPLE!"

This story is a cop's family's worst nightmare, what cop's mother or father or wife doesn't worry many times during the day? I sure would....I'm so so sorry for him and his poor parents. God be with them.

LA Sunset said...

Z,

It's been a very sad week here in Indy. The bastard who stands accused of this cowardly deed is going to be arraigned today.