Published: May 08, 2008 10:31 am         

Fallen troopers honored

Family of Daniel Barrett attended memorial service, spoke of their tragic loss

PERU — The family of 25-year-old Daniel R. Barrett joined many others at the annual memorial service honoring the 45 state police employees who have died in the line of duty.

The names of all 45 were read aloud, along with an account of how they died. Prayers asked for protection and the blessings of law enforcement officers.

Capt. Ed Schroder, commander of Indiana State Police Area 1, read a brief statement.

“These are our brother officers and fellow employees who have passed on,” he said. “When they departed this life that we still enjoy, they left memories of warm friendships and of loyalty and of devotion to the service. The greatest tribute in our power to pay our fallen comrades is the reverent acknowledgment of our obligation to remember them.

“It has been said that the strength of the Indiana State Police Department lies in the character of its men and women. You and I will long remember the deeds of our deceased who are ever mindful of their public trust.

“They have set the pattern we must follow in the days and years to come,” he said. “Thus we remain to reaffirm a pledge that we will uphold the ideals and traditions for which they died.”

The bagpipes were played on the windy, rainy day. Members of the audience shed tears during the playing of taps.

After the ceremony, Sgt. Tony Slocum, public information officer at the Peru Post, spoke on the importance of the day.

“We’re not just honoring the way these 45 state police employees died,” he said. “We’re honoring the way they lived their lives, the example they have set. The Indiana State Police has a proud 75-year history of service to our communities in the state of Indiana, and we just hope we can continue on the path they have set before us.

“We as citizens of Indiana and Indiana State Police Department owe these families a debt we can never repay. We just hope that through this small service we let them know we’re not ever going to forget them or the sacrifices their loved ones paid to the state of Indiana.”

After the ceremony, Daniel’s parents, Vince and Sarah Barrett, spoke of their loss.

“We prayed for a sign to know if he was with God and Jesus,” Sarah said while holding three framed photographs.

Sarah and family got that sign while visiting the site of the crash on U.S. 31. One photo was accidentally snapped as a semi passed by. Between the shadow of the cab and trailer, a column of light shined onto the tree that Daniel’s squad car struck. Upon developing the film, Sarah discovered that the light turned the tree white.

“Through this picture we found our sign,” Sarah said. “We feel that God told us that he’s all right.”

The tree, which is actually brown, appeared white in one other photo.

“From those two pictures we know Daniel is OK, but we sure do miss him,” she said.

She wore a gold medallion bearing Daniel’s ISP photo around her neck and close to her heart.

“He won’t be forgotten by anybody that ever knew him,” Vince said.

Sarah said she often looked at pictures of her son and visited the room where he stayed. As of Saturday, she has another way of remembering Daniel.

“Since now the Third Street bridge in Logansport is named after him, we go over the bridge,” Sarah said.

Daniel and his brother, Patrick, would go fishing and mushroom hunting together. Patrick said he was close to his brother and that they enjoyed the time they spent together.

“I wish he could be with us,” Patrick said. “It’s just a sad time, but we’ll all get through this.”

Kevin Lilly can be reached at (574) 732-5117, or via e-mail at kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com



Memorial list

Troopers from the Peru Post who died in the line of duty

• Sgt. Glen R. Hosier died April 26, 1971, of a gunshot wound suffered while leading officers up the staircase of a Miami County home in pursuit of a murder suspect.

• Trooper Robert J. Lather II died July 6, 1982, in an automobile crash on U.S. 31 in Howard County. He was helping the Howard County Sheriff’s Department in pursuit of a traffic violator.

• Master Trooper Detective David E. Rich died July 5, 2007, of a gunshot wound suffered when a motorist opened fire as he approached what he believed to be a disabled vehicle on U.S. 24 in Wabash County.

• Trooper Daniel R. Barrett died Jan. 27, 2008, in an automobile crash while in pursuit of a speeding vehicle on U.S. 31 in northern Fulton County.

Source: Indiana State Police