The Police Driving Site would not be complete without a tribute to Police Officers that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.  This is very personal for me.  In addition to being a Police Officer and Honor Guard Member, I was a child when I first encountered a law enforcement death at a personal level.  My father's friend and colleague was brutally murdered during a traffic stop.  The September 24, 1976 death of Fort Smith Police Officer Randy Basnett brought reality to a community and a child.  On May 26, 1978, my future wife was four-years old.  Her life would be forever changed when her father, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lieutenant James Pat Grimes, was killed during the manhunt of two mass murderers. Any police related web site has the obligation to pay the utmost respect to fallen officers of the past.  If you are reading this, take a few minutes and look at the information below.  Keep the families of fallen officers in your prayers.

"The death of a peace officer is a reminder that peace can be fragile and safety will always need defenders. Law enforcement officers know that evil is real, and evil has servants of its own -- criminals and terrorists who live by violence and make victims of the innocent." 
President George Bush - May 15, 2003

A Record of Law Enforcement's Sacrifice During the 20th Century

An officer being killed in the line of duty is always news within the community they served.  Especially when the officer was a victim of a violent attack.  What often shows up in the back page of the newspaper are the officers that are killed driving.  Whether from a pursuit, accident or vehicular assault, the death remains tragic.  The family and co-workers are just as devastated.  The last decade has brought an emphasis to officer safety as it pertains to firearms and tactics.  Due to this, police officers are being killed violently much less than several years ago.  Where is the training when it comes to vehicles?  The rate of deaths associated with a vehicle is shockingly high.

"I would not Attempt to beguile you from the agony of a grief so overwhelming, but cannot help remind you of the solemn pride that must be yours to have lain so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom." -Abraham Lincoln

Disclaimer:  This site is not affiliated with the Tulsa Police Department nor does it endorse or recommend any particular product or training technique.