My Heart Goes Out to the Rapid City Police Department

Today the RCPD laid to rest one of their officers.  Today the second officer that was shot passed away.  Although it has been a long time since I have lived in the Black Hills area, the death of these two young men has hurt me deeply.  I can only imagine how deeply the community has been hurt.  A special thanks to these two men, to their families who will grieve for a long time, and to the Rapid City Police Department for doing their job well.

A Special Thanks to Nurses, EMTs and Doctors

A lot of thoughts have gone through my mind this week due to the three police officers in Rapid City being shot;  one officer died, one is in critical condition and one is stable.  The suspect died as well. 

I thought about my home area and how I have always thought that everyone was honest, kind and fair.  While working at Campbell's Supply, a childhood neighbor returned a pair of jeans that she had altered.  I trusted her and didn't even look at them to see what she had done.  I somehow feel that the three officers had the same kinds of thoughts going through their mind.  They live and work in the small city of Rapid City where people are honest and trustworthy.  They looked at this event as a routine traffic stop, never thinking that it would turn into a shoot out that killed one officer.

My thoughts then turned to the men being taken to the hospital.  I remember the day that Dad died; one nurse told me that another nurse had prayed with Dad that morning.  I thought that was very special.  I pray that each hospitalized patient is honored in the same way.

I thought about how the medical staff from the EMTs to the doctors have to stay calm and take care of each patient and in this case the three police officers and the man that shot them.  I would find it hard to be impartial with their medical needs, yet the medical staff has to do what is best for each patient.

So I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You for the job that you do.