Today around 2:30 PM California Highway Patrol officer Andy Stevens made what he thought would be a routine traffic stop, tragically it would be his last.
I was pouring concrete all afternoon and when I turned on the radio for the drive home, I heard the story. At the same time I passed two Yolo County Sheriff units patrolling road 98 south of Woodland. The response from the law enforcement community was swift and overwhelming. On my 24 mile drive home, all on back roads, I passed at least 12 law enforcement units from every department around the area.
The CHP has an office in Woodland at Road 102 and I-5. Many of the Woodland City Police and Yolo County Sheriff's deputies know Officer Stevens and I am sure there will be a large turn out for his memorial service. All the turf fights, politics and petty conflicts that arise whenever you have three agencies operating out of one small town, will be put to rest as the law enforcement community comes together to honor their fallen brother. The blue line is a tight family.
I have a few friends in law enforcement and it amazes me that they do what they do. Other than being on the front line in Iraq or Afghanistan, I think the police have the hardest job. Dealing with us, the public, who are never in the best mood when getting stopped for a violation, and having to deal with criminals who would just as soon shoot you to keep from going back to prison. Your job is to distinguish between the two while not turning every traffic violation into a felony stop.
I did not know Andy Stevens, but I feel a loss. The spokesman for the CHP Valley division, Chief Stan Perez said Officer Stevens was one of his very best.
My prayers go tonight to Mrs. Stevens and Andy's family.
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I am thankful every day that there are people like Officer Stevens who make careers in law enforcement. And their families who live with the knowledge that senseless killings can happen at any time.
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