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As most of ya'll know My wife and I volunteer as Citizens on Patrol for the Odessa Police Department. We had decided to go out on a patrol on Saturday Night begining at 6PM and ending at 2AM. As it turned out I was one of the worst nights of our lives.

www.odessapd.com/

www.oaoa.com/news/marq...e_opd.html

Please Keep their families in your prayers and pray for the recovery of Officer Marquez.
They are all friends of mine.

Will do, 1Bullet. Read the story and it was just senseless, very sorry to see this happen.

So sorry to hear this sad tidings,

please convey my sincerest regards to their families and my toughts and prayers are with them.

What a sensless tradgedy.....My condolences to those families. I'm sorry Bullet that you are having to go through this...

Why do the worst things happen to the best people!!!!!!!!!

Our City, Our Police Department and their families thank you for your prayers.
We did Two Funerals today.
At 15:10 Today Cpl. Marquez passed away.

these are very sad days, I'm so sorry for their families and friends that have to cope with their losses.

Dear Friend, ...........and then there were no words.

I am saddened by this tragedy. This is common in my parts, but this one hits much closer to home for me. I'm pullin' for y'all.

Very sad for the families involved.

That's just too sad for everbody,be carefull out there Bullet!

To say the least it has been a rough week. The first two funerals were awsome. There were officers from all over the state here and even some from Arizona. The funeral processions was 5 miles long. People lined the roads from the churches all the way to the cemetary holding flags and signs. WE have one more on Tuesday for Cpl. Marquez. I didn't know him as well as the other two. Both of his brothers are police officers too here in Odessa.
If you don't mind I would like to tell you a little about the Officers I did know.

Cpl Arlie Jones. I first met him back in 1977 while working at Gibsons Discount center here in Odessa. He was working there after graduation for the summer. I worked in the grocery dept and he was a sacker. When I heard he was going into the Army I seriously doubted he would make it. He did and served as a M.P. ! The next time I saw him was when I started Volunteering at the P.D. I can remeber my first ride with him. It was on a Saturday(8AM), and as soon as we went in service he called in that we were taking 30(lunch) at Temlple Baptist Church. The normal proceedure is to ask to be put on the list for 30 and dispatch will clear you when it's your turn. Well I thought since he was a Corporal he had priveledge. Anyway we went at ate at the mens prayer breakkfast. Arlie was a very good Christian man. I asked him one time after we had delt with some guy that did something really stupid, why do people do bad things like that? His reply was "it's their job and mine its to catch them" right then I thought of the sheep dog and the wolf in the cartoons. they were buddies untill they punched the time cards and went to work. one protecting the sheep, the other trying to take the sheep. LOL. Arlie wasn't the most exciting ridealong to go on , but he made me a better Christian each time I did ride with him. when on a call his main objective was not to take someone to jail, but to find out what was the best thing to do for the people involved. He was a Christian, a Christian husband,Dad, Granddad, and a Christian Police Officer. On another ride Along we stopped at a motel on 2nd street. (not the best one in the area for sure). A woman approached our patrol car,. It was a lady who Arlie knew from a a while back who had a bad drug problem. She had moved to El Paso, and had just returned. We stopped and got out of the car and Arlie was talking to her, and then asked if I woud mind stepping to the other side of the car, so I did and when I turned around he was praying with her. I've been told that he did that alot. After that we started to leave it seemed everyone in that motel knew Arlie. AWSOME. He usually worked in Sector 1 The south side of odessa. He made it a point to get to know the citizens in his sector and they knew him for sure.

Cpl. Gardner
Scott started working for the city as an Animal Control Officer. Alot of times after his shift we would run into him in the wee hours of the night in his personal pickup listining to his police scanner learning the trade. He attended the Academy and became a Police Officer in 2003 I believe. His brothers are Firemen in Odessa. His first assignment was a K-9 unit. We would kid him by telling him he just couldn't get away from the dogs..
My wife rode with him and said he was very professional, but that he had two speeds while driving. "pedal to the metal and stop. He didn't cut you any slack for speeding or running red lights.
The night he was killed we were in the 18:00 breifing with him, and the Sgts. were razzing him for "Breaking" their TV that they were going to watch some football game on that night.. He told them It wasn't his fault someone left those bolt cutters up there. ( theymust have fell and pulled the cable loose). After briefing he was in the Sgts. office fixing the TV. We got our radios and equip and went out to check out our car, and he was checking his. Just as we walked in front of his car he "tested" the siren. Made us jump and he was just smiling. About 30 seconds after that the code 6 call came in. (Officer needs help) And he took off light and sirens to the location. 5 minutes later he was dead.

Thank you for all your coments and prayers. You guys are part of my extended family too and I appreciate all of you.