Deadly New Year for Law Enforcement

Most of us look forward to the New Year with at least some degree of anticipation that the coming year will be much better, or at least as good a year, as the one passing. Unfortunately, some people do not have dreams of higher hopes or future successes; instead, they continue to wrap themselves in their problems and demons of the past year. Sadly the fruitless lives of two such people intersected with two police officers in widely separated locations on New Year’s Day. The results were tragic.

Sergeant Abimael Castro-Berrocales started the morning on patrol in Cobo Rojo. At about 9:30 AM he stopped a speeding vehicle. He was shot twice in the face as he reached the driver’s door of the vehicle. Other patrolmen responded immediately. The officer was rushed to a nearby hospital but died a short time later. The suspect has not been identified as of today.

Less than an hour later, but several hundred miles away, at Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington, Park Ranger Margaret Anderson was responding to a another park ranger’s call for assistance because a vehicle had fled the scene after the ranger had stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation. Ranger Anderson was in the vicinity and positioned her patrol car to block the oncoming violator. The suspect stopped his vehicle next to Ranger Anderson’s patrol car and immediately opened fire with a shotgun. The ranger was struck while still inside her vehicle. The suspect fled on foot.  Rangers and police officers that responded found weapons and body armor inside the suspect’s vehicle. It appeared to officers that the suspect was prepared for a prolonged gun battles. The suspect’s body was found today, with gunshot wounds believed to be the cause of death. Criminals and danger are always present in police work, not even pausing for the holidays. I am proud to honor Sergeant Castro-Berrocales and Ranger Margaret Anderson as they made the ultimate sacrifice for us on this New Years Day, 2012.

I hope for all police officers that this year will not be as bloody as the last. In 2011, in the United States, a total of 163 local, state, and federal police officers were killed while performing their duties. On New Year’s Day 2011, a total of eleven officers were killed in less than twenty-four hours. It was suspected that a conspiracy might have been involved but that has not been proven at this point. May God be with each officer each minute of every shift. I wish that no more officers would be hurt or killed this year. But the reality is that death and severe injuries await officers at every turn in the corner, with every call. I offer my honor and admiration for the officers who carry on every day in spite of the possibility that any one of them may be called on at any time to make that ultimate sacrifice for you and me.