Police Memorial Day at Pitt-Bradford
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
A Police Memorial Day service was held this afternoon at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
The annual services honors officers who were killed in the line of duty, and specifically the three in this region who have died in the last 20 years.
The officers in this region who died are Carl Whippo of Johnsonburg, Dave Distrola of Bradford and Steve Jerman of Kane.
McKean County District Attorney Ray Learn was the keynote speaker during the service and said and reminded the officers there that they have unique jobs other people can never understand.
“They won’t understand what it’s like to deal with irate motorists on a traffic stop," Learn said. "They’ll never understand what it’s like to work the swing shifts you do or the double-backs and the stress that places on your family life. They’ll never, certainly, understand what you feel like when you respond to fatal crashes, infant deaths and murder scenes. And they will never understand what it’s like when you respond to an incident when one of your brethren has fallen.”
Learn also told them most people will never understand "the sights, sounds and smells you will forever associate with seeing the Worst mankind has to offer."
He also told them to keep up the good work.
"I know there are times when the criticism is louder than the praise, but don’t let that diminish your drive because your mission is an important one. You keep our homes, our property, our children and our lives safe," Learn said.
Pitt-Bradford President Dr. Livingston Alexander also spoke during the service, as did officers Jeff Shade of William Hanley Lodge 67 and Phil Hoh of Bucktail Lodge 96 Fraternal Order of Police.
Attending the event were Superior Court Judge John Cleland, McKean County Judge John Pavlock, district judges Dom Cercone and Rich Luther, State Representative Marty Causer, McKean County Commissioners Joe DeMott, Al Pingie and Judy Church, Bradford Mayor Tom Riel, Deborah Ponzer of Congressman Glenn Thompson's office and law enforcement officers from McKean and Elk counties, as well as Cattaraugus County, New York.
Pictured, from top, McKean County District Attorney Raymond Learn; Bryan Parana, chief of the Johnsonburg Police Department, lays a wreath in memory of Carl Whippo of Johnsonburg, who died in 1984; Chris Lucco, chief of the Bradford City Police Department, lays a wreath in memory of Sgt. David Distrola, who died in 1989.
Photos by Kimberly Marcott Weinberg
WESB/WBRR News Director
A Police Memorial Day service was held this afternoon at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
The annual services honors officers who were killed in the line of duty, and specifically the three in this region who have died in the last 20 years.
The officers in this region who died are Carl Whippo of Johnsonburg, Dave Distrola of Bradford and Steve Jerman of Kane.
McKean County District Attorney Ray Learn was the keynote speaker during the service and said and reminded the officers there that they have unique jobs other people can never understand.“They won’t understand what it’s like to deal with irate motorists on a traffic stop," Learn said. "They’ll never understand what it’s like to work the swing shifts you do or the double-backs and the stress that places on your family life. They’ll never, certainly, understand what you feel like when you respond to fatal crashes, infant deaths and murder scenes. And they will never understand what it’s like when you respond to an incident when one of your brethren has fallen.”
Learn also told them most people will never understand "the sights, sounds and smells you will forever associate with seeing the Worst mankind has to offer."He also told them to keep up the good work.
"I know there are times when the criticism is louder than the praise, but don’t let that diminish your drive because your mission is an important one. You keep our homes, our property, our children and our lives safe," Learn said. Pitt-Bradford President Dr. Livingston Alexander also spoke during the service, as did officers Jeff Shade of William Hanley Lodge 67 and Phil Hoh of Bucktail Lodge 96 Fraternal Order of Police.
Attending the event were Superior Court Judge John Cleland, McKean County Judge John Pavlock, district judges Dom Cercone and Rich Luther, State Representative Marty Causer, McKean County Commissioners Joe DeMott, Al Pingie and Judy Church, Bradford Mayor Tom Riel, Deborah Ponzer of Congressman Glenn Thompson's office and law enforcement officers from McKean and Elk counties, as well as Cattaraugus County, New York.
Pictured, from top, McKean County District Attorney Raymond Learn; Bryan Parana, chief of the Johnsonburg Police Department, lays a wreath in memory of Carl Whippo of Johnsonburg, who died in 1984; Chris Lucco, chief of the Bradford City Police Department, lays a wreath in memory of Sgt. David Distrola, who died in 1989.
Photos by Kimberly Marcott Weinberg
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