N. St Paul LEO killed

[diskdoctr]

Condolences and prayers to the family of Officer Crettenden. It is always a trajedy when an officer or a soldier gives the ultimate sacrifice. RIP Officer Crittenden.

[ttousi]

Funeral Friday at Aldrich arena

[hammAR]

What time.......

[ttousi]

haven't caught any details yet

[Rogelk]

The funeral service for slain North St. Paul Police officer Richard Crittenden will be held Friday, September 11, 11 a.m. at Aldrich Arena, 1850 North White Bear Avenue in Maplewood.

Visitation will take place Thursday, September 10, 4 - 8 p.m. at Sandberg Funeral Home, 2539 East Seventh Avenue in North St. Paul.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collec ... nced.shtml

[mrmuko]

The officer was shot with his own gun according to the BCA.
http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/58124457.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUac8HEaDiaMDCinchO7DUs

R.I.P. Officer Crittenden

[justaguy]

Lets not be lazy.

The suspect who clashed in a "very intense and very violent battle" with two police officers in a North St. Paul apartment used officer Richard Crittenden's own gun to fatally shoot him in the head and then shot and wounded the other officer before she fired and killed him, state investigators said this afternoon.

Also today, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the Maplewood officer involved as Julie Olson, a 10-year veteran with the department.

"That was a fast-paced, very intense and very violent gun battle," BCA Superintendent Tim O'Malley said during a St. Paul news conference, where the preliminary details were released. O'Malley added that the confrontation lasted no more than 30 seconds to a minute in a confined space.

He said Crittenden and Olson responded properly to the circumstances before them and described their actions as "courageous."

Based on an information from Olson, several witnesses, physical evidence and preliminary autopsy results, the agency laid out this sequence of events in a written statement:

The estranged wife of Devon Dockery, 34, called police and requested that an officer come to her apartment at 2253 Skillman Av. to ensure that Dockery wasn't already there before she and her daughter entered.

Crittenden was sent to scene. Olson joined him because she was the only officer on duty in his city at the time.

The woman let Crittenden inside. Dockery charged at the woman and Crittenden with an "accelerant-soaked cloth which was on fire."

Crittenden pushed the woman and her daughter out of the way. Dockery struck Crittenden in the head with the flaming cloth.

A burned Crittenden fought Dockery, and Olson joined in trying to subdue the suspect.

During the confrontation, Dockery "was able to remove Officer Crittenden's gun from its holster" and shoot Crittenden once in the head. He then pointed the weapon at Olson.

Dockery and Olson "engaged in a gun battle." Officer Olson was struck once, and Dockery was shot five times.

Another Maplewood officer, Lonn Bakke, arrived. Olson and Bakke disarmed Dockery.

Emergency personnel arrived and found Crittenden and Dockery unresponsive.

Superintendent O'Malley said Dockery and Olson exchanged a combined 14 shots. He said the shot from Dockery that wounded Olson likely hit the magazine of her weapon. From there, either that bullet hit Olson or something from Olson's gun struck her.

A provisional report by the Ramsey County medical examiner found that Crittenden died from a gunshot wound to the head at close range. Dockery died of blood loss from his gunshot wounds.

Services for Crittenden will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Aldrich Arena, 1850 N. White Bear Av. in Maplewood. Visitation will take place Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Sandberg Funeral Home, 2539 E. 7th Av. in North St. Paul.

The city of North St. Paul has set up a memorial fund for Crittenden. Donations can be made at any Anchor Bank or sent to the North St. Paul branch at 2700 7th Av. E., North St. Paul, MN 55109. Checks should be made to the Richard Crittenden Memorial Fund.

[mrmuko]

Sorry I forgot this is serious stuff. Didn't know how to cut and past the whole thing.

[xd9]

Officers Richard Crittenden and Julie Olson are true heroes in my book and my heart goes out to their families for what they have gone through.

RIP Officer Richard Crittenden

[EAJuggalo]

Final Inspection

The Policeman stood and faced his God, Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, officer. How shall I deal with You?
Have you always turned the other cheek? To my Church have you been true?"

The officer squared his shoulders and said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Cause those of us who carry badges can't always be a saint.

But I never took a penny that wasn't mine to keep,
Though I worked a lot of overtime when the bills just got too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God forgive me, I wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place among the people here.
They never wanted me around except to calm their fear.

If you've a place for me here, Lord, it needn't be so grand.
I've never expected or had too much. But if you don't, I'll understand."

There was silence all around the throne where the saints had often trod.
As the officer waited quietly for the answer of his God.

"Step forward now, Officer, you've borne your burdens well.
Come walk a beat on Heaven's Streets. You've done your time in Hell."

-Peter Hornbach