There is not a lot of love from the law enforcement community regarding the media, but kudos are due in the coverage of the line of duty death of a suburban Cincinnati, Ohio police officer. Sgt. Dale Woods of the Colerain Township, Ohio Police Department was struck by a truck while directing traffic at a crash scene succumbing to his injuries three days later.
All four local media outlets #WCPO #WKRC #WLW and #WXIX covered the procession to the viewing on a Saturday and the service on Monday live. This required substantial resources in staff and equipment and the loss of thousands of dollars in lost advertising revenue. All of this to pay respect to a fallen hero.
The service was held at the Cintas Center on the campus of Xavier University and was attended by law enforcement officers from all over the United States. The President of the Township Trustees told the officer’s three children that they have a brand new sister who is a police officer in Louisville, Kentucky who will take them to Churchill Downs to see the horses if they are in Louisville. They will have a new uncle who will give them a tour of Chicago, Illinois and a new cousin who will show them the blue waters of Michigan. He told the children that they will have new family members in every police station in the country by simply walking into the station and identifying themselves.
Also moving is the fact that this was the first day of the newest recruit class at the Cincinnati Police Academy. Police Chief Elliot Isaac told the class that they will always remember that their career began on the day that a police officer was buried.
This is the brotherhood of the law enforcement community and is the case in every police funeral.
We can dislike what we believe to be biased and slanted stories about law enforcement, but they deserve kudos for the respect paid to an officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the community.
#Colerain Township Police #Chief Mark Denny #Sgt. Dale Woods #Chief Elliot Isaac