People die every day. We hear about it on TV or read about it in the newspaper all the time. On most occasions, we shake our heads and wonder why, then let the information drift out of our minds never to be thought of again. But sometimes the news hits so close to home, so close to our hearts, letting go is impossible.

While working last night, my Sergeant told my partners and I that Oceanside Police Officer Dan Bessant had been shot and killed. At the time of this blog, not much information has been released about the incident except that Officer Bessant had been covering a fellow officer on a traffic stop and that someone away from the traffic stop scene had shot him from a distance. Officer Bessant is a 3-year veteran of the Oceanside Police Department, married with a 2 month-old child.

In addressing this incident, the president of the Chula Vista Police Officers Association stated, “As this has occurred at a time when we should all be experiencing joy in our lives. It proves again that the criminals have no conscience”.

The sad news struck my partners and I like a ton of bricks. I probably did not know the officer, but I’m sure that several of my colleagues here at the Chula Vista Police Department knew him through the police academy or some type of regional training. Although (for us) the world stops when we hear of a brother or sister killed in the line of duty, we cannot allow the news to interfere with the way we do business. In a lot of other occupations, the passing of a colleague warrants taking the rest of the day off and mourning with family and friends. As difficult as it is, many times police officers (and firemen, as well as military personnel, when they are faced with tragedy) have to absorb the information and continue to provide professional service to the general public.

In the law enforcement community, the passing of an officer is major news. It is an event that is not taken lightly. Just look at the Peace Officer Memorial at the front of our police station or watch the processional of a police officer’s funeral and you’ll get an idea of how seriously we take the death of an officer.

From now until the Oceanside Officer is buried, all Southern California Police Officers will wear black bands over their badges out of respect, and to honor the life of the fallen officer. We will mourn and no matter how comfortable we may become in our job, we always realize that we took an oath to protect the public. Inherent with this responsibility comes the possibility of injury and even death.

While most of the general public will forget about the fallen officer, police officers, especially, the members of the Oceanside Police Department and the fallen officer’s family will live with this tragedy forever.

Before the news of Officer Bessant’s senseless death drifts away from you, please take a couple of moments to pray for his mother and father who have lost their son, his wife who has lost her husband, and his 2-month old baby who has lost his dad…and remember each time you see an officer on patrol, that we mourn, but even as we do we will continue to fulfill our oath to protect and serve.