IN MEMORY OF ANOTHER FALLEN OFFICER

This corespondent had taken a few days off and had intended to return today commenting on other issues. As a result of the tragic and devastating news out of Penn Hills Pennsylvania, those plans were changed.

IN MEMORY OF PEN HILLS POLICE OFFICER

MICHAEL CRAWSHAW

It is becoming too much of an occurrence, the news that a Police Officer has been gunned down in the line of duty. This community, still suffering from the senseless killing of three City of Pittsburgh Police Officers is once again mourning the loss of another "peace keeper." Sunday night while responding to a call of possible domestic violence, Penn Hills Police Officer Michael Crawshaw was brutally murdered by a career thug with no sense of morals or decency.

Officer Crawshaw was only 31.

According to reports, Officer Crawshaw did everything right. He parked his car two or three doors away from the address and waited for back-up. Unbeknownst to him, this piece of human excrement was in the mist of killing another human because he owed him $500 for drugs. When he emerged from the house, he stumbled upon Officer Crawshaw and killed him as well.
Much will be written and said about the suspect and the weapon he used; the favorite term is assault weapon. All weapons are capable of being assault weapons when used by criminals. Police these days are handicapped by our own freedoms. Too much emphasis is placed on the rights of the criminals and not enough on the rights and safety of our men and women in blue. Judges now had better take notice that we are on the brink of a lawless society, where criminals control the streets fearing no one, not even the people who are sworn to protect us. They have no regard for human life and no regard for the authority of the Police.

It was stunning and sad to hear a resident call a local talk show and complain about the coverage the station and the media were giving this story. "What about the innocent people and children these cops kill everyday?" was this piece of garbage's statement.

When we start thinking this way as a society, we are lost and doomed.
Officer Crawshaw was born and raised in my hometown and is fondly remembered by teachers, residents and friends. A veteran of the University of Pittsburgh Police Force, Officer Crawshaw wanted "a little more action" and applied for a position with the Penn Hills Police Department. His Chief of Police called him a "Model Officer."

I have several close friends who are Police Officers and I sincerely worry about their safety everyday. They kiss their families goodbye everyday and they never know if they will be coming home at the end of their shift. They are selfless and dedicated and although we as a society get honked off when we are stopped and given a ticket, we realize without them we have no protection from the bad guys.

In Seattle, four Police Officers are gunned down by another career thug who should have been thrown in a cell and the key should have been thrown away. Too many times we are hearing about another Police Officer being killed just because they are doing their job!

Please pray for Officer Crawshaw.

Please pray for the men and women who protect each and everyone of us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Without them, we have nothing and the bad guys will win.