TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Never before have tens of thousands, of armed personnel come together for such a reverent and somber occasion as they did at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on March 27.
On that day, agents from Detachment 303 and Field Investigative Squadron 1, Travis, attended the massive funeral event to pay their respect to slain Oakland Police Department Sergeants Mark Dunakin, Ervin Romans, Daniel Sakai and Officer John Hege.
On March 21, Sergeants Dunakin and Hege were riding their police motorcycles when they initiated a traffic stop on a convicted felon who refused to be taken into custody alive. A gun battle ensued and the sergeants were killed in the line of duty.
Later that day, the OPD Special Weapons and Tactics team descended on an apartment building where the offender was hiding. Sergeants Romans and Sakai were part of the SWAT team that entered the building to apprehend the offender. This is where they gave their lives. Another OPD officer was shot during the gun battle and fortunately survived. The offender died of injuries sustained from gunshot wounds.
I was on leave in Chicago when the shooting occurred, but as soon as I found out about the tragic events, I knew that Air Force OSI had to show their support to our fallen brothers. As a former Chicago police officer, I have been to too many sad events such as this one, but this event was different because four of our brothers had been taken in one day.
The agents of Det. 303 and the FIS contributed money to have a plaque made for presentation to the OPD leadership. The plaque reads, "In memory of the courageous officers who lost their lives in the line of duty on March 21." "From the men and women of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Travis." OPD Capt. David Downing is the head of the administrative section for OPD, and it was his responsibility to coordinate the awe-inspiring event. Captain Downing is also an AFOSI reserve agent who frequently assists the Travis units.
The plaque will be presented to Special Agent Downing of the 62nd FIS so it can be displayed at OPD headquarters. It was a small token which spoke volumes for OSI's support of our local counterparts. The remaining collection was distributed to the families of the fallen officers.
There are so many similarities between the camaraderie, love and respect that are developed between law-enforcement personnel and military members.
Whether we are in civilian dress or uniform, in Afghanistan or Oakland, we all have that burning desire to rush to the aid of our injured and fallen. Regardless if they are part of our unit or not. Whether we are on a first-name basis or we just hear that call for help. We are there ready to help. We do this because we know they would do the same for us. We cannot take anything for granted when we go on duty and must be prepared for everything.
Members of Detachment 303, assigned to Travis in November 2007, remembered the outpouring of support displayed by the local police agencies when three agents were lost in Iraq in one day. Special Agents Dave Wieger of Det. 303, Thomas Crowell of Det. 301, and Nathan Schuldheiss of Det. 204 were killed on Nov. 1.
Law enforcement officers from Canada, the East Coast and all points in between traveled to Oakland to show their respect for the fallen officers, their families and their brothers in arms. It was an event befitting a head of state. It was filled with pomp and circumstance, complete with bag pipes and drums, a choir, a 21-gun salute provided by an Army National Guard artillery unit, a 20-helicopter flyover, the governor and attorney general of California, and Sens. Feinstein and Boxer of California. There were four honor guard units present to simultaneously fold the flags of the fallen so they could be presented to their families. There were firefighters and fire trucks with their massive ladders extended with the stars and stripes hanging.
This was a sports arena that is usually used for laughter and excitement but today, there were just tears, great memories as the friends of the fallen eulogized them, and camaraderie. Today was sad yet there was an overwhelming sense of pride that the bay area community and the law enforcement community came together to show their respect for the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. This was what these officers and their families deserved.