Orrin Hatch: “today I wish to pay tribute to a beloved father, a loving husband, and a fallen hero: Officer Douglas Barney of the…”

“today I wish to pay tribute to a beloved father, a loving husband, and a fallen hero: Officer Douglas Barney of the Unified Police Department. Officer Barney was killed in the line of duty last week when attempting to question a man at the scene of an accident. In the wake of Doug's passing, the Barney family has experienced an outpouring of love and support from law enforcement officials not only in Utah, but across the Nation. As a testament to Doug's generosity and the many lives he touched, more than 10,000 people attended his funeral services on Monday. Today I join the many who mourn by honoring Officer Douglas Barney--a man of character, commitment, kindness, and courage. Doug's dedication to law enforcement was matched by his zeal for life. As a teenager, he explored the outdoors, rode dirt bikes on the hills behind his home, and raced cars on Utah's old Bonneville Raceway. As a police officer, he loved the thrill of a high-speed chase and had a knack for defusing tense situations with a well-timed joke. An indomitable sense of humor endeared him not only to those he loved, but even to those he arrested. On one particular occasion, he was tasked to handle a DUI situation involving a female arrestee whose behavior was growing increasingly erratic. Instead of reacting with force, Doug responded with humor by continuously joking with the arrestee. His off-the-cuff comedy replaced the woman's threats with smiles and her cries with laughter.…”