WPD Officers Visit D.C. For National Police Week
Trending
A trio of Wheeling Police officers were able to travel to Washington D.C. to participate in National Police Week events there, and received a tour of the U.S. Capitol from U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., in the process.
Cpl. Gerald Mitchell and officers Brandon Hoehn and Patrick Ryan all were in the nation's capital for National Police Week, starting there last Wednesday and returning this past Tuesday. While there, they participated in ceremonies to honor their fallen colleagues.
The three helped escort families of fallen officers to and from the airport and other various ceremonies during the week. Ryan and Mitchell were part of the motorcycle patrol, while Hoehn was part of the cruiser brigade. Among the events was a trip for the children of fallen officers to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, for a kid's day celebration.
"There's a lot of camaraderie to it," Hoehn said. "But it's also sobering. It brings reality back to you that someday your family could be going through the same thing.
"So that's why we try to be there for other family members and other officers as they're going through that time," he continued. "Hopefully, we never have to experience that. It's just sobering, but it brings pride into the profession with you as well."
The three officers also visited with Mooney, who provided them a tour of the U.S. Capitol.
"One of the aspects of this job that I most appreciate is the opportunity to meet constituents, whether it's in the district or here in D.C.," Mooney said. "This is Police Week, and three police officers from Wheeling came and spent time with us. They had actually never been in the U.S. Capitol, so I had a chance to (take them on a tour) and explain the process of being a lawmaker. Just as they have rules and procedures to follow in their jobs, so do we in Congress with how we do our jobs. We took them to the Capitol and were able to show them how we go about calling the vote, the rules for voting, and how we debate bills."
The visit was even more timely for the officers as the House considered legislation to help law enforcement personnel be safer on the job.
"One of the bills we're voting on (Tuesday) simply said that if an illegal alien attacks a police officer while they're in the line of duty performing their duties, that they can be deported. Apparently, that needs to be clarified because some courts aren't allowing that to happen. So we're simply saying assaulting a police officer is a deportable offense.
"We're also going to pass a resolution this week simply condemning the defund the police movement. We're very supportive of our local police officers who face challenges none of us can understand, and we hope these measures will help them more safely do their jobs."
The officers said they appreciated their time with Mooney in D.C.
"He made it clear he supports us," Hoehn said, "and he made clear his stance on things. It's always good to know your local politicians have your back on things."