From the office of Senator Mike Lee: Tribute to Officer Jared Francom

FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Sen. Lee Pays Tribute to Fallen Officer Francom on Senate Floor

Today, Senator Mike Lee spoke on the Senate floor about the tragic death of Utah policeman Jared Francom, who was shot in the line of duty on January 4th. A video of the speech is available here, and a transcript of Senator Lee’s remarks is below:

Mr. President, today I rise with a heavy heart to mourn the loss of Ogden police officer Jared Francom.

Earlier this month, on the evening of January 4th, 2012, Agent Francom was senselessly gunned down defending his fellow officers as they attempted to serve a search warrant in Ogden, Utah. Five other officers – Shawn Grogan, Kasey Burrell, Michael Rounkles, Nate Hutchinson, and Jason Venderwarf – were wounded in the gun battle.

A week later, a crowd of roughly 4000 family members, friends, and supporters, including more than a thousand uniformed officers, gathered at a public memorial for Jared to saygoodbye to one of America’s fallen heroes.

The sentiment from all that knew him was the same: Jared was a devoted family man, a dedicated father to his two young daughters, a fun loving brother and son to his family.

At the funeral, which I attended, I heard Jared’s brother Ben say he “taught people to care for each other and taught others to change the world like he was doing on the streets of Ogden.”

Commenting on the outpouring of support, Jared’s brother Travis said, “I know my brother would be proud, because we all are his family.”

Achieving a goal he’d set for himself as a young boy, Agent Francom became a member of the Ogden police force seven years ago and and was assigned to the Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force.

Jared’s sacrifice should be a reminder to us of the incredible risks our brave law enforcement officers all take to protect the people they serve. I have a deep and unwavering respect for the law enforcement community and, as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, have seen up close how these men and women serve with honor, integrity, and dedication.

Jared Francom was no exception. He will be remembered for giving his life in service to the people and community he loved.

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