Memorial: A Fallen Officer

Jillian Michelle Smith

Officer Jillian Michelle Smith was dispatched to take a report on a domestic assault that was called into 911 after the suspect, the victim's ex-boyfriend, had already left the location. While Officer Smith was interviewing the victim and her 11 year-old daughter, the suspect entered the apartment and started shooting. Officer Smith placed herself between the suspect and the child and was fatally wounded. The gunman than shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, then killed himself. The 11 year-old was able to run to a neighbor's apartment.

Officer Smith, age 24, graduated from the Arlington Police Academy Class in August 2010 and completed her Field Training on December 13, 2010. She was killed while on duty on December 28, 2010.

Officer Smith was fresh out of Field Training by only 15 days. Every new officer goes through Field Training - after graduation from the academy, the rookie officer rides along with a veteran for several months. This call was one of Officer Smith's first calls that she took on her own. It's incredibly sad that it was also her last.

Domestic assaults, any officer will tell you, are the most dangerous calls to go on. There are questions about whether or not Officer Smith should have been dispatched to this call by herself, especially since she had just finished training. Arlington PD states that policies and procedures were followed - since this was just a report call, only 1 officer was needed.

It goes without saying that I'm sure those policies and procedures will now be changed to prevent this tragedy from happening again.

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This hits wayyyy too close to home. This is one of the many fears that I have as a police officer's wife, the one of many fears that could keep me awake every night that Donal is at work if I allowed those thoughts to linger.

In 8 days from today, Donal will have been on the job for 1 full year... 1 full year since he graduated from the police academy. He won't be a rookie anymore; he won't be on probation anymore. He couldn't be more excited and I couldn't be more proud!

Donal tells me about the calls that he takes and the people that he interacts with and he really wants me to go on a ride-along to really get an idea of what he, and other officers, experience day to day. A part of me wants to go - to see whats it like and to experience the {possible} thrill... but the other part of me doesn't want to go - I'm not sure I want to see first-hand was Donal sees every day. I think I'd rather stay blind to it all in hopes that it will save me from driving myself crazy any faster.

Donal and thousands of others attended Officer Smith's funeral this week. You can read about it and watch a video here. Donal said that it was incredibly sad but an amazing experience all the same; from the service and speeches, to the motorcade of hundreds of patrol cars, to the bell ringing, the 21-gun salute, the bag-pipes, and Officer Smith's 'last call'.

We'd been told, when Donal first started in the academy, that we were now apart of a huge family. I never grasped the true meaning of that until this or until a tragedy like this happens - it is amazing to see officers, fire fighters, and even military personnel and their families come together and support one another, even if they've never met. They all risk their lives for the rest of us... that takes a special kind of person to want to do that.

I have so much more to say but am at a loss for words now. So I'll end with this...

Please pray for Officer Smith's family and friends, right now and for the years to come that they will live without her. I can't fathom what they're going through but I pray that they will feel peace knowing that she died doing what she loved. And please pray for Officer Smith's fellow Arlington PD officers and for all of the other officers, fire fighters, and military personnel, in the nation and around the world; pray that they continue to feel and show courage and bravery as they go to work every day and that they make it home to their families every night.

I don't know about your job but I know that I don't risk my life while at mine... these men and women go into dangerous situations on purpose, to serve and protect.

This post is in honor of all fallen officers, fire fighters, and military personnel, and their families.