Introduction
This paper aims to describe the incidents that led to the death of law enforcement officers (LEOs), who worked in different police departments. In particular, it is necessary to focus on their experience in the field, line of work, the structure and jurisdiction of their departments. More importantly, we also need to specify the circumstances that led to the fatal incident.
Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk
The first police report refers to Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk, who was killed in the line of duty on Saturday, September 6, 2008, at the age of forty-seven. At that moment he was 47 years old1. It is known that he had a wife and three children, whose names and addresses are not disclosed. His tour of duty was twelve years (ODMP, unpaged). Sergeant Starzyk worked in Martinez Police Department as a patrol officer. This department consists of two divisions. The first division provides administrative services; it includes records supervisors, dispatch supervisors, administrative sergeants, and investigation sergeants. The second division is primarily occupied with field operations (Martinez Police Department, unpaged). At the given moment, this organization employs forty-five employees. Its territorial jurisdiction spreads over the City of Martinez, and nearby rural areas. It has to authority to patrol the community and investigate computer and financial crimes, property theft, juvenile delinquency, and so forth.
Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk was murdered while responding to the gunfire in a beauty shop or hair salon, to be more exact. The ex-husband of an employee burst into the shop and began to threaten his spouse and display the gun. The sergeant waited until the arrival of another LEO, who came within seconds, and together they entered the shop. The assailant fired several shots from a.38 caliber revolver at the police officers and one of the bullets hit above the protective vest. In his turn, the corporal, who accompanied Sergeant Starzyk, shot two rounds at the suspect and killed him at the scene. Immediately afterward Sergeant Starzyk was sent to the hospital, where he passed away the same day (FBI, unpaged). The identity of the suspect has not been disclosed by the authority. According to some sources, he was an estranged husband of the salon’s owner (ODMP, unpaged). In the course of this assault, he also murdered a woman, while his ex-wife remained unscathed (FBI, unpaged).
Officer Nathaniel Taylor
Officer Nathaniel Taylor Jr. was murdered on September 28, 2008, at the age of 39. He joined the Chicago Police Department in July 1994 (Chicago Police Department, 49). Later he was transferred to the Gang Intelligence Unit where he worked until his demise. Apart from that, he worked in the Englewood 7th District and the Narcotics Section. In the course of his career Office Tailor earned fifty-five awards and thirty-seven honorable mentions. He is survived by his wife, Alcione Taylor, and daughter Naomi (Chicago Police Department, 49). Overall, Nathaniel Tailor is viewed by his colleagues and friends as an extremely courageous and experienced officer.
It should be noted that Chicago Police Department comprises numerous divisions and subdivisions, for example, the operational division includes the Bureau of Patrol and Bureau of Investigative Services (BIS). Officer Tailor worked in the second department. In its turn, BIS can also be divided into several sections, namely: detective division, organized crime, counterterrorism, and intelligence (Chicago Police Department, unpaged). Overall, this law enforcement is extremely specialized. This institution employs over one thousand people. Its territorial institution spreads over the City of Chicago, and its suburbs. This agency is entitled to maintain order in the area and investigate a great variety of crimes.
Officer Tailor, who was working undercover, was killed in an attempt to execute a search warrant. When Tailor approached the suspect, he fired four rounds at the officer from a 38.-caliber revolver. One of the shots proved fatal and Nathaniel Taylor died in a local hospital (FBI, unpaged). When the assailant was arrested, he was charged with First Degree murder (FBI, unpaged). The identity of the suspect has yet to be disclosed, though the police have ascertained that he was involved in organized crime.
Nicola Diane Cotton
Police Officer Nicola Diane Cotton died on Monday, January 28, 2008, at the age of 242. Her tour of duty was 2 years. The names of her friend and relatives have not been disclosed, though it is known that at the time of the murder she has been pregnant for 8 weeks (ODMP, unpaged). Nicola Cotton joined New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) in 2006, and since that time she has always been known as a responsible and courageous police officer.
It should be pointed out that NOPD is one of the largest police departments in the United States. Its facilitates are located in 8 districts, and there are several units within each district. At this point, this institution employs more than one thousand and five hundred officers, who work in various bureaus and divisions. This agency has the authority to keep order in the community and investigate a great variety of crimes, including minor misdemeanors, felonies (murders, rape, or arson), financial and cybercrimes, as well as terrorism, and espionage. The territorial Jurisdiction of NOPD spread over the City of New Orleans, and the State of Louisiana.
Nicola Diane Cotton was murdered in an attempt to investigate a 44-year-old person, suspected of rape (ODMP, unpaged). The incident took place at 10 a.m. She got out of the vehicle and approached the individual. Then the officer grabbed the suspect’s should but he beat away her hand. The assailant overpowered her and took away her.40-caliber handgun and then fired 15 rounds at Nicola. The suspect did not leave the crime scene; the responding officers found him near the body, still holding the weapon (FBI, unpaged). The name of the assailant has not been made public, but the police have ascertained that he already has a criminal record. It should be mentioned that this incident has been taped on surveillance cameras, and on the basis of this evidence the suspect was charged with First-Degree Murder.
Conclusion
These law enforcement officers differ in terms of their age, work experience, and rank. However, these fatal incidents have a certain common element: each of the officers was trying to arrest a suspect and none of them asked for the support of their colleagues, although they had every reason to believe that the suspect had been dangerous.
Appendixes
References
Chicago Police Department. “Courage, Commitment, Integrity and Community: A 2008 Tribute” 2009. Web.
Chicago Police Department. Organizational Chart. 2010. Web.
The City of Martinez Police Department. “The Official Website. Organizational Chart”. Web.
The Officer Down Memorial Page. “Sergeant Paul Avery Starzyk”. 2010. Web.
The Officer Down Memorial Page. “Police Officer Nicola Diane Cotton”. 2010. Web.
New Orleans Police Department. The Official Website. 2010. Web.
Federal Bureau of Investigations. “Officers feloniously killed”. 2008. Web.
Footnotes
- To see the photograph of the officer and the logo of the department, please refer to the department
- To see the photograph of the office and the logo of the department, please refer to the Appendixes.