Political Quotes

“I rise today to honor a hero. I rise to remember the sacrifice of a man I am proud to have known. I rise to remember SGT Joe Szczerba of the New Castle County Police who was killed in the line of duty just this past Thursday night. Sergeant Szczerba and several other officers responded to a disorderly conduct call in New Castle, DE, just before midnight. The officers arrived on the scene and set up a perimeter. Sergeant Szczerba spotted the suspect and gave chase. A seasoned officer, Sergeant Szczerba attempted to subdue the man, and in a very tough fight that ensued he was stabbed. The suspect continued to resist arrest. Although seriously wounded, Sergeant Szczerba worked with three other officers to take the suspect into custody. Only then did he acknowledge his injury. Officers on the scene performed CPR until county paramedics arrived, but it was not enough. Sergeant Szczerba did not make it. When I was county executive for New Castle County for 6 years, after a particularly long or difficult day, as I was heading home, I would flip on the police scanner in my car and listen to the chatter, to the calls from dispatch and the officers responding. I was always mindful in those hours that here I was heading home to my family and safety and here were our officers heading out on patrol into a dark and uncertain night. My phone rang at 5 a.m.…”