Good night from washington. Greta is next with a special heroes in blue. This is the National Law Enforcement officers memorial. More than 20,000 names line these walls and each of them the name of a Law Enforcement officer who gave everything in the line of duty. On this memorial day, we pay tribute to our heros in blue. Earlier this month, Law Enforcement from across the country participated in National Police week. Heres Griff Jenkins to explain. [siren] scenes like this play out every day. Law enforcement officers putting themselves in danger to keep us safe. Its been a tough year for Law Enforcement in this country. [siren] and every day thousands of officers, their families, and their supporters converge on washington, d. C. To pay tribute during National Police week. Tonight, we want to do make sure that the thousands of officers who joined us, the thousands of survivors of officers killed in the line of duty get the honor and appreciation that they deserve every day. I remember my older brother, senior trooper senior vincent who was killed in the line of duty, and we are here honoring two of our fallen officers. We lost two troopers last year in 2015. The history goes back to 1962 president john f. Kennedy signed a proclamation making National Police week official. And every year since, tens of thousands of Law Enforcement officers from all over the country meet in the Nations Capital to remember their fellow officers. This year, on on the record was there. Its humbling there be
here obviously. My first year here. Never been here before. Any given given year, somewhere between 25 and 40,000 people attend. Visiting the National Law Enforcement memorial which lists the names of more than 20,000 Law Enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. Other events include this bike ride. The Police Unity Tour from new jersey to washington, d. C. To honor the sacrifices of those who have died. I ride for 20738 names that are on the wall that have fallen in the line of duty. I ride for the 900,000 Law Enforcement officers that are currently sacrificing their lives every day for the humanity. And i arrive pause we matter in Law Enforcement. And at the end of the week this candlelight vigil, right on the National Mall, a tribute to the fine men and women who keep us safe, our heroes in blue. [bell tolls] and Law Enforcement came together for a candlelight
vigil at the National Mall. On the record was there that night, and now we take a look at that memorable evening. And right now Violent Crime rates spiking in cities from coast to coast. That means more work and spiked danger for our men and women in blue. That what is causing the deadly surge . Fbi director james comey says he believes it could be a viral video effect. He thinks officers might be reluctant to confront suspects in fear of ending up in internet video. Milwaukee county sheriff david clarke joins us. Good evening, sir. Good evening. Great to be with you. You dont agree with him on that. No. I think he misses the mark on that. Cops are not afraid to do their jobs. What they are afraid of, its called the cop hating United States department of justice led by race obsessed attorney general. The president of the United States has been leading the chorus and slandering and maligning the character and integrity of the sacrifice of our nations Law Enforcement officers. What officers fear is some
witchhunt, this ongoing witchhunt why the civil rights division, taking over Law Enforcement agencies all across the nation. I think they are up to 21 now that have move in, federalize that agency. And then they are looking to snag some Law Enforcement officer for some minor transgression. We have an occupation where things can go horribly wrong like it did in ferguson, missouri, through no fault of the officer. We have this feeling that the United States department of justice, who we have always seen as ally in the pursuit of justice and wield look at crime in the criminal as the enemy. Well now this attorney general and this u. S. Doj sees the cop as the enemy and the criminal as the victim. And this whole thing is flipped around. But thats what the fear. You know, as i look around tonight, you know, i have been to these vigils before. This is the 25th year for this vigil. I know that soon were going to seat families of this years fallen. You know, it rips your heart out. It really does. They are the true heroes. They are the ones that have if i can use some slang the most skin in the game here. They have given all. For them the pain and suffering it never goes away. It never will. It gives us an opportunity to come down here and stop the world. Everybody in this Law Enforcement family to stop the world and honor those that have gone before, honor the names of the and the people whose names are going on from this year tragically. I know two New HampshirePolice Officers were shot in the line of duty today. I hear that they are going to survive and then just last week in kansas city. A kansas city detective Brad Lancaster i think is his name was shot and killed in the line of duty. We live with this danger. We accept that we just want to know that if one of us goes down that our families are taken care of and that the sacrifice was worth it right now the cops are looking, you know, and starting to wonder is this really going to be worth this . They want to pay their mortgages and send their kids to college. Some of these officers want to walk their daughter down the aisle one day and that may not happen. Were willing to do that to
protect our community but gosh, darn it, it better be worth it. Would you do you think the attorney general you said the attorney general and the president , at least i interpreted to you say that they dont have your backs. This thing has been politicized. This is a political construct. This whole black lives matter, there is no data or research, you know that. You have pointed it out, to suggest that the american Law Enforcement officers are trigger happy. They are not. Racist. The president of the United States has said that our nations Law Enforcement officers have a fear of people that dont look like them. I find that disgusting. We go out there and we serve our community. The only true Government Agency in the United States of america that really believes that black lives matter is the American Police officer who goes out into these ghettos. They dont have the resources that they need. But they go and put their best foot forward. Greta, sometimes things can go horribly wrong in this world. And, when it does, we have oversight processes. I want process. I want due process and thorough investigation. I dont want any political prisoners. I dont want cops used as sacrificial lamb to satisfy some angry mob. I think thats whats going on in baltimore right now. Sheriff, nice to see you. Thank you for your support of Law Enforcement. Thank you, sir. And this is why we love our great men and women in blue. Crisis averted. In august 2015 a gunman holding 29 students hostage in a classroom. It was touch and go. And feared to be life or death. But, within minutes, Police Taking action. Fill pay, West Virginia police chief good evening, chief. Good evening. That was incredible what you did. I was just doing my job, maam. I know you all say you were just doing your job. All those students at risk. They had a 14yearold gunman taking them hostage it . Was one of the most intense situations i have been n my career. Tell me what happened. Well, basically we got a call that there was a
student with a gun in the school. But that was all the information we had. So we responded. Our Response Time was about 3 minutes and we went ahead and made entry. At that point a associate principal approached us and told us that one of the students had his class hostage along with the teacher. We had trained for this for years. How do you train for that . How do you train for a 14yearold kid with a gun in a classroom with 29 students . In 2007 i took the active instructor course. Since then i have been teaching the classes. We have run through that scenario over and over and over again. So when we first went in and was, you know, moving our way down the hallway, it was kind of like training, but, you know, when i actually saw the Young Man Holding the firearm in his hand, then i realized it wasnt training. But, you know, i just cant express it enough. It wasnt just me in that building. Im here to honor everybody that was there. How do you get them to release the 29 . I know you said it was the
greatest sights have you ever seen 29 students coming out. We negotiated a little while. I think he want to do give up, but he just got in it and was too far gone. And he you know, he made some threats. And, you know, i told him i would help him if i could. I didnt make him any promises i couldnt keep because thats part of the training. And, after about 35 minutes, he agreed. I first just asked for a couple hostages. And i asked for three. And i asked for women. And he said why . And i said well, im kind of old fashioned, women and children first. And he didnt take that too well, but he did agree to release them. And he did. And then he just kind of held himself hostage for the next two hours, negotiations continued. And you got him out alive, too. Got him out alive. Actually, the alert, when they found out that it was one of the few situations like that, that comes out where nobody got hurt. Chief, congratulations. Thank you very much. I hope this evening honors Police Officers. Thats why we are here. Thank you. Thank you, sir. For unbelievable skill to bring that crisis to a safe end and joining us an every day Police Officers all over america put their lives on the line to keep us safe. On the record Griff Jenkins has the story of one hero who nearly gave everything. It was here on this corner, 60th and spruce streets in West Philadelphia that gunman Edward Archer crossed the street shortly before midnight and approached officer jesse hard net as he sat in the squad car. He began firing unprovoked. Firing 11 were striking hard harden. He would later pledge allegiance to isis in the targeted attack. Commissioner ross recalls his actions that damplets he just represented the epitome of a Police Officer. What he did, how he did it. Essentially ambushed. He didnt know it was coming. The guy right up on top of
him fires several rounds at close range. And the only thing he had was his left arm essentially and the passenger seat of that car to shield himself. That left arm sustained a couple gunshot wounds which were very, very significant in nature. He had to have the presence of mind to pull that gun out of its holster. Draw it, and then chase that male down the street and then miraculously fire and strike that male so that his comrades were subsequently able to apprehend him. And then, he didnt even stop there as he depose back to his vehicle, he realizes he is bleeding profusely, and he tells one of his comrades that he needs a tourniquet because he needs to stop the bleeding. Now, he was prepared to even try to put that tourniquet on himself. The colleague rushed him to the hospital. So the entire thing from start to finish was nothing short of amazing and extraordinary. Edward archer said that he was motivated by isis in his attack. Correct. What you can tell us . Well, in his videotaped
confession, he indicated that, one, he did it in the name of the Islamic State and isis and in support of them and also, that he felt that Police Officers were a problem because they represented and defended laws that were contrary to the quran. As commissioner, are you worried about these lone wolf guys . We have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the men and women that are wearing this uniform to the degree that you even can and because its a dangerous profession. And there are no absolutes. As a Law Enforcement leader, it would be very difficult for me not to acknowledge that that is a concern. Being an officer is a noble but as were reminded dangerous profession. There is Something Special about officer hard netanyahu that is instilled. He is doing great. He has had multiple
surgeries. I cant even count at this point in time. Im sure he could tell you may or may not know that he had the honor of throwing out a pitch at one of our phillys home games and he took that opportunity to propose to his girlfriend and so thankfully she accepted in front of 30some thousand people. It was wonderful. Its great. Something that they go out on that field and stand in front of all those people, you know. It was nice. It was really nice. I think what i would like to emphasize is that we have plenty of men and women across this nation that really do and demonstrate acts of courage and valor every day. Many of them go unheralded, but its important for people to realize that, that people who wear this uniform put their lives on the line each and every day for and many instances people they have never met in their. Its a difficult time in Law Enforcement. And its more important now than ever for people just to stop sometimes and say thank you. And officer hardnet. It is here tonight and will be recognized up here on the stage behind me. We will continue to bring you all the remarkable stories of many falling. Lives lost way too soon. Greta . Griff, thank you. Right here in the United States, more than 20,000 Law Enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. One of them nypd officer edward berne was executed while protecting a key witness in a drug case in 1988. It was a contract killing of a cop. His brother, nypd Deputy Commissioner for legal matters lawrence berne is joining us. Nice to see you, sir. Good evening, greta. You come from nypd family your dad was a cop. My dad became a new york city Police Officer which he when he came home from the korean war and my brother wanted nothing more than to follow in his footsteps. Have that dream only to have it cut short. You are all brothers and sisters, but this is your brother. Yep. Its a tough night but its
a special night. You know, when people become new york city Police Officers and officers all over the country, they take an oath to protect and serve. At the nypd, we make a promise to them and their families in return that should tragedy ever strike, we will remember them and we will support them and tonight we remember the fallen officers of the last year and we support all of their families who are here. Whats particularly touching as i was walking over here i met some Police Officers from poland. Yep. You told me officers from what other nation. I met officers with commissioner bratton in from germany, italy and from all over the United States. It is worldwide support among police. Worldwide support. Policing is an extraordinary profession. And it is a camaraderie among officers. When i read about your brother, he was only 22, a rookie seven months on the force and he was executed in a contract killing. He was killed five days after his 22nd birthday. His murder was ordered by
some on the local drug gang lord who had been sent back to prison five days earlier. From his prison pay phone he called his gang and said they take one of us, we take one of them. We have to send a message to the cops. And they executed eddie at point blank range in the Early Morning hours of february 26th as he was guarding the home of a witness who had agree to do testify against the drug dealers. Your parents ever get over it . I know your mother is still living, your father is not. My parents forged ahead. They showed incredible strength. They were determine to do have good come out of this tragedy. No parents of a Law Enforcement officer ever recovers from the levee loss of a child. Police family, my dad had been a Police Officer for 22 years, never wants to get the knock at the door 5 00 a. M. In the morning from a police chaplain. It can only be bad news. You only hope to hear your father your soldier was
hurt and not killed. Good has come out of it. Including the beautiful memorial and Byrne Justice program at doj giving hundreds of millions of dollars for sphefer training. His death made it better for other officers thats a great accomplishment. I than