Collection of Articles about Police Officers Killed by Semi- Automatic ...

"It's rough, especially those first couple of days," said former Detroit Police Officer
Donna Wudyka. In 1996 Wudyka shot and killed a gunman moments after he fatally
shot patrol officer Patrick Prohm. She wrote a book about the shooting and its
aftermath.
"It's rough because everybody's grieving in their own way," Wudyka said Friday.
"They're going through their own emotions and in the back of our minds we're thinking
'It could've been me' and 'How would I react? How would my family react?' "
Detroit Police homicide Inspector William Rice, who heads the investigation of Wells'
shooting, said the only solace he can offer a slain officer's family is to have the suspect
locked up and, eventually, convicted.
The military-like solemnity of an officer's funeral also offers some comfort, he said.
"Police funerals, as much as I regret them, bring a consciousness that for the grace of
God none of us would be here," said Rice. "Each and every police officer realizes that
because we are confronted with the same dangers each and every day.
In many Michigan cities, police officers are wearing black bands over their badges to
honor Wells.
Troy police keep the bands in the property room, never knowing "when something like
this could happen," said Lt. Steve Zavislak.
"Every time a police officer dies in the line of of duty it's like a piece of each of us dies,"
Zavislak said.
The director of the Wayne County Department of Community Justice, Jeriel Heard -- a
16-year veteran of the Sheriff's Department -- said police officers are not in the business
for the money.
"We chose a life of being responsible to protect and serve other human beings; it's as
simple as that," Heard said. "An important issue is that police officers need to provide
support for each other and the community needs to support the police and to express
that support.
"When we endanger our lives by coming to remove drug dealers from the neighborhood
or when we rescue children who have been abused and neglected, we would like a pat
on the back," Heard said. "That sustains us.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard -- who counts five from his 1976 police
academy class who have been killed -- said he's pushing for a memorial dedicated to
slain officers from the county's police departments.
"It would remind everyone of the risks police face daily," he said.
"In this line of business, any time, any day, any place can be a dangerous spot."
Contact JACK KRESNAK at 313-223-4544, or kresnak@freepress.com, SALLY TATO at 248-586-2622 or
tato@freepress.com, SUZETTE HACKNEY at 313-222-6672 or hackney@freepress.com.