Remembering Officer Scott Patrick

The community of Mendota Heights, and the entire state of Minnesota - and beyond - is gathering today and tomorrow to remember and pay their respects to slain officer Scott Patrick, tragically killed in the line of duty during a routine traffic stop last week.

BringMeTheNews has full details of the visitation and funeral HERE.  And here's a quick story WCCO-TV ran Monday.

But as horrible as this tragedy is for everyone, it feels a little more personal to me. My dad served as a police officer for over 30 years back in my hometown in central Wisconsin, working for a police department about the same size as the Mendota Heights department. My dad worked in - and I grew up in - a similar suburban area, as well. An area in which you never think a horrible tragedy like this could take place.

That's why this tragedy hits so close to home. I can't even image what the Patrick family is going through right now. And, even though my dad has been retired from the force since 2001, I'm eternally grateful he ended each shift safely at home. I'm also tremendously proud of his service-- and grateful to ALL the brave men and women who serve our communities in the often-times thankless job of law enforcement. They understand they may be asked to put their lives on the line each day-- and they bravely answer the call. But that doesn't make it any easier for any of us to understand why something horrible like this happens. Rest in peace, officer Patrick.