August 13, 2006

In Memory of Police Officers...

Last week was a tragic and heavy-hearted week in the city of Reading.

A week of sorrow that touched all of us.

One that began with a senseless homicide at the Neversink playground, followed shortly thereafter by the murder of a Reading Police Officer.

Scott Wertz was doing his job that night on a stolen vehicle task force, when a fracas erupted at 8th and Walnut Sts in Reading.

Because all available marked police cars were deployed to the Neversink homicide, Scott and his partner Officer Mick Eddinger, being in the vicinity, responded like the professionals they are, to help stem the tide of violence in the city.

Violence perpetrated by cowards with hand guns.

Cowards unable, or unwilling to settle grievances in any way other than with a gun.

Cowards and bullys who are trying to intimidate us.

They didn’t intimidate Scott or Mick.

Scott gave chase to a suspect and laid down his life for us in the line of duty.

The family of Scott Wertz, and the Reading Police Department, and the wider community of people who loved Scott and looked up to him, lost a hero, and we are now the lesser for it.

Heroes come in all colors, sizes, ethnic background backgrounds, ages, sexes and they are the ones we cherish, and miss terribly when they are gone.

I watched the boys of the little league team that Scott coached and hugged come up to the casket to pay their final respects.

He will always be their hero.

I saw the newspaper photo of his sons Jared and Joshua looking forlornly out the window of the limousine on the way to the cemetery.

And they will remember their dad all their lives as a hero.

I watched Scott’s wife, Tricia and could sense in a small way the burden she was carrying, as she realized that it was now on her shoulders to raise the boys.

But she was not alone – she was surrounded by the brotherhood of officers and friends who will be there to help lift her up.

I have attended three funerals for cops in my lifetime and I don’t want to go to any more.

I attended Scott’s as well as the funeral of Michael Wise; and many years ago the funeral of another cop, Detective James E. McMahon of the Rochester, NY Police Force, my father.

It is easy to place blame for disorder in our society that causes crime and the loss of our finest.

It is harder to find solutions.

But together as a "Greater Reading" community, we must do it.