Remembering the Supreme Sacrifice

As the motorcade approached, it slowed ever so slightly, lights flashing, sirens off except for the occasional flip of the switch. The crowds began to turn their heads toward the approaching cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, and off in the distance, growing ever close, helicopters chopping the morning air…..

Reedley, CA Police Car

Five days earlier, on February 25th, it was supposed to be just another Thursday for Reedley Police Officer Javier Bejar – patrolling the streets, keeping an eye out, responding to calls, ensuring a presence in the quiet community of 23,000. In a few hours, he would complete his paperwork for the day, and head home to his waiting family.

In the neighboring town of Minkler, Deputy Joel Wahlenmaier of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, along with County Fire Department investigators, were attempting to serve a search warrant on Rick Liles, a suspected arsonist. After hearing the initial knock, Mr. Liles shot a high-powered rifle through his front door, critically wounding Deputy Wahlenmaier and sparking a gun battle.

The call every officer (and officer’s spouse) dreads made its way across the County, filling Officer Bejar’s patrol car with an icy dread. Officer down.

A day earlier, the motorcade route had been formally announced, and those living on the neighborhoods affected knocked on each other’s doors.  People began making signs out of wooden stakes and cardboard, poster board and cardstock.  Big hands wrote big words with black, red or blue sharpies, little hands drew unsteady pictures with colorful crayons.  The message and the reason for it was the same, regardless…

Javier Bejar, son of Wenceslao and Saloma Bejar, had immigrated with his parents to the community of Orange Cove, California from Mexico in 1985, at the age of 4. Adapting quickly to his new country, Javier did well in the small, local schools, eventually participating in the Reedley Police Department Explorers program while attending Reedley High School. After graduating in 2000, Javier joined the Marines, serving honorably in both Iraq and Kuwait and was awarded on numerous occasions. Upon honorable discharge, he then attended police academy, became a police officer in 2005, and was awarded Officer of the Year a mere 3 years later. A model officer, he also earned a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and managed to marry his life-long friend and sweetheart.

Every law enforcement officer swears an on-going oath, a commitment, to protect and serve his or her community.  To become a police officer is an almost sacred commitment, a sacrifice of one’s knowledge, efforts, energies and time quietly and without acknowledgement, making sure that we can all safely go about our days, our lives.  It is also a sacrifice for their families, as they offer up their fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and brothers, wives and sisters to protect our own…

When Officer Bejar arrived at the scene, there were already a number of officers surrounding Mr. Lile’s home, awaiting his next move, hoping he would give up peacefully. Javier got out of his car, and crouched down behind it, gun drawn, listening to a rundown of what had happened thus far. The suspect was armed, and was likely alone; his ex-wife had left the residence already. A deputy had been killed. Civilian on-lookers were being shied out of range as quickly as they could be moved.

Eighty yards away, hidden inside his home, Mr. Lile raised his high-powered rifle anew, peered down the sight, and scanned the scene outside. His rifle sight ended its deadly journey at Officer Bejar’s car, and Rick Liles took one more shot. As the officers saw another of their own fall, the Thursday afternoon erupted in a hail of gunfire.

The Bejar family of Reedley has led a life of sacrifice.  Wenceslao and Saloma gave up the lives they knew in Mexico to create a brighter future for their son, Javier.  Javier Bejar grew up in this knowledge, and sought out to lead a life of service to his country.  Reedley Police Officer Javier Bejar’s life was one of sacrifice to his community and family…

Thousands of officials and law enforcement officers from surrounding communities paid their respects to Deputy Wahlenmaier and Officer Bejar.  Because Officer Bejar was on life support for almost 5 days, our stricken community attended en masse and watched on live television two very public funeral services.  Officer Bejar was finally laid to rest on March 8th.

Over 100 motorcycles and 700 vehicles from Police, Fire, EMT, Probation, Sheriff’s Department, and the United States Marines drove through the community to pay their respects, and to remind us all of the supreme sacrifice they have all offered time and again in public service.  It is said that there were so many vehicles in support that cars were still leaving the Fresno Convention Center when the burial service began 20 miles away at the cemetery in the town of Reedley.

It would be easy for those officers on motorcycles and patrol cars, vans and trucks to be angry at this senseless loss of yet another brother.  It would be understandable for them to have some blind resentment, to feel unappreciated in this loss.  Until one saw the thousands of men, women and children standing by the roadside, signs in hand, saluting them, shouting what was written on paper and in their hearts.  Thank you.  We love you.  You will be missed.  God bless you…

Today is Supreme Sacrifice Day.  On this day, I wish to say thank you, for all that you have done for us.  We love all of you, our men and women in uniform, who work under dangerous circumstances for our safety.  All who have given that supreme sacrifice continue to be sorely missed.  To the families of Deputy Wahlenmaier and Officer Bejar, God bless all of you.  You have a grateful community and country, who will always be in your debt.

Subscribe to Dopodomani via Email

     

Short URL: http://dopodomani.me/?p=1708

Posted by Steve on Mar 18 2010. Filed under Personal Growth. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry