On the recordJanuary 8, 2014
On December 23, in my hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, two of our police officers, Sergeant Gale Stauffer and Patrol Officer Joseph Maher, were shot while attempting to apprehend a bank robber. Thankfully, Officer Maher survived very serious wounds, and he is currently recovering. Tragically, Sergeant Stauffer died of those wounds. Gale, as he was known to his friends and family, spent his entire adult life in service to his country. He joined the U.S. military and bravely served his tour of duty in Iraq as a Sergeant in the Louisiana Army National Guard. After returning home, he settled with his family in Tupelo, where he is known for his Cajun cooking, his love of the outdoors, and his passionate support for LSU Tiger football. Above all, those who knew Sergeant Stauffer knew him as a man completely devoted to his wife and two children. I will be submitting letters of support for both of these brave men's nomination for the Congressional Badge of Bravery. Ronald Reagan once said: ``Those who say that we are in a time where there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look.'' By their actions, Sergeant Stauffer and Officer Maher have showed there are still heroes among us. ____________________
