Posted on 09/04/2006 6:44:38 AM PDT by lightman
FREDONIA - They stood shoulder to shoulder - in the gray uniforms and camouflage fatigues of the State Police - as the American flag was lowered to half staff. One sang "Amazing Grace."
With those simple acts, the mourning for Trooper Joseph A. Longobardo began. Shortly after a Sunday evening news conference in which he announced Longobardo's death, State Police Superintendent Wayne E. Bennett asked reporters to cover a brief ceremony conducted outside the Fredonia substation of the State Police. "I think without any words being spoken, that sends a very powerful message to the public about what has gone on here since Thursday night," Bennett said.
The evening ceremony followed an earlier gathering on Sunday.
Longobardo and Trooper Donald H. Baker Jr. were ambushed Thursday evening - allegedly by prison escapee Ralph "Bucky" Phillips.
Several hundred members of the law enforcement community, family members and supporters joined together in a Town of Hamburg church Sunday, offering solidarity and prayers. The service in Wesleyan Church of Hamburg occurred before the State Police announced Longobardo's death. Anthony Longobardo, the 32-year-old trooper's father, attended the service.
The service also occurred as hundreds of state troopers combed rural Chautauqua County for Phillips, suspected of being the sniper who shot the two troopers. Baker, 38, was wounded by a shot that penetrated his bullet-resistant vest. Both officers were shot outside the home of Phillips' former girlfriend.
"You shoot one of us, you shoot all of us," said retired Buffalo Police Officer Joseph Hennigan, as people filed into the church in an outpouring of care and support. "We're all in one suit [today] . . . we're all cops," he said.
Phillips also is suspected of shooting another trooper in June near Elmira. "It's just been such an emotional and physical roller coaster," Longobardo's father said.
State Police spokeswoman Rebecca Gibbons said, "I think it's important to come together and show that we're going to stand strong and not be terrorized in our own communities by some man who is a criminal."
State Police Capt. Daniel Lyons praised fellow officers and their supporters. "It's a great source of pride to see the response and the dedication of all the troopers and the deputies and the police officers who have responded to this violent incident. It's also very reassuring to see the tremendous outpouring of support provided to the troopers and their families during this period," Lyons said.
Buffalo Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson extended his best wishes. "My heart and my prayers and those of thousands of other community members from Western New York and of our law enforcement family are with the families of Mr. Longobardo and Mr. Baker as they go through this trying time."
Marianne Dugan, the wife of a state trooper, was one of several people who criticized the media for portraying Phillips as a folk hero. "We feel like we don't get the coverage that the people who don't support our husbands do. You hear a lot about the support for Bucky, and we're the ones who have to worry daily," said Dugan. Dugan said the event was helpful to the troopers and their families by bringing people together. "We need this, and we need it for our guys," said the Lewiston resident.
As the closing notes to "America the Beautiful" played on piano, those in attendance lifted candles in the air to symbolize hope, then quietly filed out of the church.
Another one tossed into "chat"??? - funny, it's making the national news now....
Beginning to appear that there is a cop-hater in charge.
Why did this one also get bumped into 'general/chat'?
Frankly I'm beginning to wonder if someone in charge isn't really rooting for this so-called "folk hero" Bucky.
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