Frank A Miller Jr. Killed in the line of duty 17 years ago today

[John Barleycorn]

Well Its November 10th again. I cant believe its been 17 years.
Frank was a great friend the kind of guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. We went to high school together and sat in the same homeroom for 4 years, we both went to the same college and attended the police academy together. Frank was killed by a no account wino that refused to move on from his favorite ally drinking spot.
It was a daylight shift and Frank was walking the beat in Mckeesport PA Frank had only been on the job a few months and was alone because his partner had court that day. I'm told Frank never called out that he was having an encounter with a intoxicated street person. It soon turned ugly and Frank was in a struggle for his life, the revolver discharged once taking off one of the wino's fingers, but he then gained control and shot Frank in the chest just above the vest and then once in the head. Frank died at the hospital later that day. 
The bum was found and arrested a few blocks away bleeding from the wound and with Franks gun in his waistband how he was not killed then and there I do not know. He was convicted in the first trial and several years later in a second trial that Franks parents had to be put through because the murderer claimed he had poor representation the first go around.

Brothers and Sisters in Blue,  please always call out no matter how small or unimportant you think the incident is.
   

Frank, I miss you brother.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Thanks for sharing your heart and Frank's story.  It is good for us to hear difficult stories that teach good lessons.  After 21 years on the job, I know I need to hear things like this. 

CC Griff

[Twitchy]

I will add Frank to my Prayer list tonight. You too. Three years ago I lost a partner in a car crash and realised all of us need prayers after a line of duty death too.  Anyone else notice how many more shootings happen on Days?  A quick mental review and I am sure that my dept. has had more shootings on days than afternoons and midnights.  I think we all tend to turn it up a notch when it gets dark and relax a bit on days.  I know I did, (currently on permanent Mids) and most of my friends do too.

Thanks for letting us now about your friend, a real Hero, and giving us the opportunity to pray for him.  Twitchy

[John Barleycorn]

My sincere thanks Pards.

[Shotgun Franklin]

It can be a hard way to make a living. Hard on those who get taken and hard on those who remain.

[John Barleycorn]

19 years today. I think of you often brother.

[Don Nix]

1984 was a bad year,we lost a lot of officers statewide and our dept lost one officer ,Charlie Barnes and two of the State  Officers we worked with  were killed. All within weeks of each other. Barnes was killed on a traffic stop . When he did not check in after the stop the dispatcher called out all hands. I was the CID investigator of call and I and the patrol Sgt. found him lying in a ditch .He had been executed with a 30-30 to the back of the head.The SOB that did it was killed in a gun battle later on in the night. He had Charlies gun in his hand.The hardest night of my life was to work that crime scene while others chased down the suspects.
Later on Trooper Louis Bryant was killed on a traffic stop by a survivalist. On the day of his funeral four officers from Dequeen Ar were travelling to the funeral when they were hit head on by a truck ,killing all four.Then Trp. Robbie Kline was shot from ambush while attempting to execute a warrant. All good friends and good men. Its hard to relive those days but they never go away.by the time the year was over 14 officers state wide had been killed.
You young officers need stay sharp,take every call as if it could go south on you and have a plan in your head. I used to call kit "what if-ing" Always be thinking  what if this happened and what if that happened. It can save your life.
And for God sakes get off those damned cell phones. I have noticed lately  many patrolmen riding around with a cell phone stuck in their ear and the good time radio turned up. Absolutely unaware of their surroundings. Its a good thing I wasnt a bad guy because they would have never seen me coming.
Be careful out there!

[Shotgun Franklin]

Cellphones should only be used for work while at work. I've tried to flagged down an Officer from the curb and they'd drive right beside me talk on the phone and never see me.

[John Barleycorn]

20 years. Where has the time gone?

[John Barleycorn]

21 years gone by

[Coal Creek Griff]

I have a few sad anniversaries like that too.  Time passes, but the loss is still there.  Gone, but NOT forgotten.

CC Griff

[John Barleycorn]

A friend remembered.

[John Barleycorn]

Thinking about Frank, 25 years ago today.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Whenever a law enforcement officer is killed, a piece of all of us dies.  November is a tough month for me too.

CC Griff