Top Cops Dedicated To Community Defense

If there is one group of professionals who are under paid and under appreciated it has to be law enforcement officers. Most civilians have absolutely no idea what these ladies and gentlemen do all in a days work. I have family and several friends who are dedicated officers and will do anything in their power to keep their community's safe and secure. Almost daily you can turn on the local news or pick up a newspaper and find a negative "cop story" but very seldom do we hear about all the good they do. Each and everyday they put their lives on the line for us. Every time a vehicle is pulled over, a domestic dispute is called in, or a robbery is in progress, these first responders are there. They don't have the luxury of knowing what they are about to walk into. These men and women have parents, wives and children, just like we do. Yet while we go to the office each day these "heroes" go out to fight drugs, crime and violence. We are starting a series of blogs titled Top Cops. Each week we will highlight at least one officer for their extraordinary service. Today it is San Antonio Officer Pedro Garcia, who saved the life of a critically wounded officer and helped rescue another during a shootout on the south side of San Antonio. Last September Garcia and his partner responded to a call of shots fired. During a domestic violence situation to offender opened fire on three other officers as they attempted to arrest him. September. Garcia arrived on the scene of a gun fight. He was able to provide cover for a fellow officer, enough cover to get him out of harms way and to safety. In the gunfire rookie cop Brandy Roell was shot in the back. The rookie had only been on the force for one month. Garcia found Roell in critical condition, bleeding badly form the stomach and exposed intestines. Officer Garcia new he needed to get her medical attention right away. The problem he faced was he and the other officers were inside a area with a locked perimeter security fence. Garcia radioed to another officer and instructed them to "ram" through the fence with their patrol car which he did. Garcia put Roell over his shoulder and ran her to the waiting patrol car. The run toward the waiting patrol car left him open and exposed to gun fire. He could have easily been shot and killed. Because of his willingness to put everything on the line for his fellow officer Roell survived and thankfully Garcia was unharmed. It is officers like this that go out and take on the "war on crime" and help provide us all with the self defense and security we are accustomed to.