I received a phone call on Wednesday, Jan. 4: "Sheriff, Sgt. Hutchinson has been shot through both arms!" As I struggled to grasp the reality of what every sheriff wishes to never to hear, I soon learned that six members of our Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force had been brutally shot.
The confusion and misinformation of not accurately knowing what had just taken place was a tremendous burden in the long drive to the hospital, where I found Nate in intense pain.
He had been shot at least four times in the act of dragging fallen comrades to safety, but was repeatedly asking about the safety and welfare of his fellow agents.
During the sleepless nights and tenuous days that followed, we learned that a fellow warrior had indeed fallen in battle protecting his brothers. He "had their back" while paying the ultimate sacrifice of laying down his life for his friends.
Five warriors still cling to a long and treacherous road back to their law enforcement occupation. Not all may possibly be able to continue to protect their friends and neighbors in the way they loved as protectors of the innocent, defenders of what is right, the thin blue line separating chaos from life, liberty, and happiness.
From the ashes of despair arose the flames of courage, bravery, honor, and valor.
Each of the agents involved in this incident fought bravely and were willing to make the necessary sacrifice as required to protect and defend a brother. "They had their back." No truer words have been spoken in the arena of life and death. All officers pledge an oath to each other and the community they serve. I give my thanks for their sacrifice.
This is a physical, emotional, life-changing event and brings the challenge of a life-long road of healing. Each officer rose to the challenge, fought a good fight, and stayed the course!
Many times during the difficulty of the following days, citizens I had never met have recognized me and have felt an overwhelming desire to thank me for the heroic actions of our officers. Rightful gratitude that the officers and their loved ones deserve. This thanks I return on behalf of a grateful law enforcement family. The many acts of kindness, compassion, love, and sympathy extended over the following days have been breathtaking. I have never hugged the brothers and sisters of my community more in any time that I can remember. Law enforcement is a family, but that family extends to the community that we serve or it serves no purpose.
At the funeral for our heroic fallen officer Jared Francom, among the incredible support of our law enforcement family, even retired officers dusted, cleaned, and donned the uniform of the past, taking pride in wearing the badge, and once again experiencing the honor of being counted among our warriors as a brother and a friend, each stepping up to share in the pain, willingly helping to shoulder the sorrow, grief, difficulty, and challenge of the loss of a fallen warrior.
As preparations were made to honor our fallen warrior, the tremendous outpouring of public support was truly amazing. It was a reminder that the public we serve love and support us in our efforts to provide for the safety and security of their homes and families.
Given the opportunity, they took tangible action to willingly display their support in more ways than can be mentioned. Would anyone in our law enforcement family have known that the community would step up in such a tremendous way during the preparation of a difficult and challenging funeral laying a brother to rest?
An entire funeral procession passed through miles of route lined with American flags and a steady line of people, with scouts saluting, bikers at attention, many with tears in their eyes and hands over their hearts thanking us for our service.
It was a beautiful, frigid day, yet many remained standing firm against the elements, determined to make whatever sacrifice was necessary to show their love, respect, and gratitude.
We may never understand or comprehend a purpose or plan, but the power of love and gratitude grips our very soul. The pain will always exist, hovering just underneath the layer of our outer senses, ever present, but we are comforted by the knowledge of the warrior in each of us and our willingness to sacrifice on behalf our brothers and sisters in the arena of life and death. I am honored to be counted among them.
Thompson is the sheriff of Weber County.
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