Bob,
I saw your message earlier today and just could not address it at first. I got back late last night from our academy in Austin and was clued in on some of the details of what occured at Pleasanton by a responding trooper. Guess your news hit a little too close to home.
Words can not express the sadness and rage I feel at your personal loss. Nothing I can say will ever bring real comfort to family and friends and there is absolutely nothing within my personal power that can heal the rip in our society caused by such depravity. I can, and will pray as I have done every day for the Good Lord to show our country the way back from this crevice we now all face. Something is wrong, very wrong and I do not believe that man alone is strong enough to make it right.
There was once a poem entitled "Someone Killed a Policeman Today". I think that the words used in that poem are very descriptive of how everyone who has posted here so far must feel. Something I learned years ago from my grand dad (a sheriff) was that when someone uses violence against an officer, he is not only attacking that one man but every man, woman and child that officer has sworn to serve. It is an attack against ourselves, our communities and our nation itself. And that is why good people near and far come to honor the fallen officer. Because when we bury him, we also bury a part of ourselves. May God be with the soul of Officer Timbrook and his family. May He also put His hand on you, your fellow officers and your community. And may you all meet again someday in a better place.
Take care and God bless,
Corporal Ben H. English
Texas Highway Patrol