Officers honored

WASHINGTON, D.C. Several family members and police officers traveled to Washington, D.C., this week to celebrate National Police Week and also to help honor three Odessa police officers killed in the line of duty in September along with all officers across the country who lost their lives last year.

Larissa Gardner, slain OPD officer Scott Gardner's sister-in-law, said seeing Scott's name engraved into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial with other fallen officers brought back good and bad times.

"We were very touched and honored," Gardner said. "It brought back all the memories. We're all overwhelmed."

Gardner said 358 brave officers in total were celebrated on Wednesday.

"There was some officers from back in the 1800s that had never been honored until now," she said. "I'm glad it didn't take Scott, Abel or Arlie that long to be recognized for their sacrifice."

Corporals Arlie Jones Jr., Scott Gardner and Abel Marquez were honored Wednesday in Washington, D.C. The three OPD officers were gunned down in western Odessa while responding to a Sept. 8, 2007, domestic disturbance call. Jones and Gardner died that night while Marquez died four days later in a Lubbock hospital.

Lt. Art Fuentes said the order of the names on the memorial was in the exact order the officers were shot.

"It was in the order of when they were shot on Sept. 8," Fuentes said. "It read Abel, Arlie and then Scott."

Sgt. Pete Marquez and Cpl. Phillip Marquez were also on hand in Washington to honor their brother Abel. Both men are officers for OPD.

Fuentes said there wasn't a member of Arlie Jones Jr.'s family because his widow, Rhonda Jones, died unexpectedly March 19.

"She was supposed to go with us and I was going to be with her the entire time," he said. "Unfortunately she couldn't make it but I know she was still there with us."

Deputy Chief Lou Orras said he didn't go to the memorial but was humbled by the show of care the people outside of Texas showed for the three fallen officers.

"It goes without saying that we appreciate the entire country to take their time out to acknowledge the sacrifices these officers made," Orras said. "They don't have to do that but they do and it's very appreciated."

Gardner said she did feel comfort in knowing others have felt the same pain her family felt in September.

"All the other families of fallen officers around the country were here and we just felt bonded with them," she said. "You didn't have to say anything, they knew what you went through."

Fuentes said he felt just as much comfort in the officers who showed up to the memorial without losing anybody in their department.

"I was surprised at how many police officers were there when they didn't even lose an officer," he said. "It showed that the loved ones that we lost are also the ones that they lost."

Orras said he wanted to attend to bond with fellow officers but felt this was for the families.

"It was more important that the families go," he said. "It's important that they get to experience the memorial."

Gardner said traveling to the capitol was worth the trip.

"It's really helping in the healing process," she said. "I don't think the pain will ever completely go away but seeing the appreciation felt by the other officers helped."