Honoring the fallen

Sniffles of grief mixed Thursday with tears of joy as family, friends, brothers in blue and firefighters came together to posthumously honor three slain Odessa police officers.

The mood was somber among the 160 or so people who gathered to see the families of corporals Arlie Jones Jr., Scott Gardner and Abel Marquez given the Medal of Honor — the highest honor bestowed by the Odessa Police Department.

The families of each of those men who were slain by gunfire Sept 8 in western Odessa were given the Police Cross — an award given to the next to kin “when an officer makes the ultimate sacrifice” while on duty.”

Chief Chris Pipes said Jones, Gardner and Marquez each deserved the Medal of Honor after they “voluntarily distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry and extraordinary heroism.”

As each set of awards was handed out to the officers’ families, attendees gave a standing ovation, many with tears rolling down their cheeks and others their bottom lips quivering as they held back tears.

However, as representatives of each family stepped to the podium, their gratefulness to the community that poured out its hearts to the officers was evident. Those tears were joyful.

Cpl. Gardner’s father, Jack — in tears himself — said his son “loved being a policeman.”

Rhonda Jones said her husband, Arlie Jr., died being watched over by God.

“I know that the pain is real deep in here,” Rhonda Jones said. “He died the way he wanted to die — protecting.

Arlie Jones’ mother, Lolly, said throughout the years many asked her how she could take having a son in uniform, who would be in danger all the time.

“I told God, ‘You gave him to us, and we’ve done the best we can do,’ ” she said. “ ’I can no longer protect him — I’m giving him back to you.’ ”

Cpl. Gary Potter, Marquez’s best friend, accepted the posthumous awards on behalf of Pete and Philip Marquez, who were not able to attend because their father suffered a heart attack Thursday — Pedro Marquez remained in critical condition Thursday evening in MCH’s Intensive Care Unit.

Potter was emotional Thursday afternoon as he stood to honor Abel Marquez.

“Right now, it’s hard to say anything,” said Potter, who noted he was Cpl. Marquez’s friend since they were 6-years-old. “It was just an honor to serve with Arlie, Scott and Abel.”

While each fallen officer was honored Thursday for their heroism, their families were not forgotten either. On behalf of the police department, Pipes gave each family the Police Cross.

Pipes dropped to his knees to hand the award to Abel Marquez’s 10-year-old daughter, Sandra, and 7-year-old son, Isaac.

“These two kids have a dad who’s a hero,” Potter said. “I just ask for everybody to pray for them and the rest of these families.”

As the ceremony came to an end, Arlie Jones Sr. said the awards wouldn’t erase the memory of his son, Arlie Jr., or the other officers who died, but it helped heal wounds.

“This is a nice step in the right direction,” he said. “It’ll never be OK, but at least things will slowly get better, and things like this help the healing process.”

HONORING HEROES

Three Odessa officers were also presented awards for their contributions during a domestic disturbance call that claimed the lives of three OPD officers Sept. 8 in western Odessa.

>> Cpl. Dayton Neff received the Medal of Valor — the departments’ third highest honor — for showing “exceptional bravery demonstrated during the performance of a voluntary action despite imminent risk of serious bodily injury of death.”

>> Officer Shannon Davis was awarded a Certificate of Merit with uniform bar for responding “without hesitation in an attempt to aid” corporals Arlie Jones Jr., Scott Gardner and Abel Marquez, who were slain that night in western Odessa.

>> Cpl. Cody Young was awarded a Certificate of Commendation with uniform bar for responding “without hesitation in the face of a dangerous, heavily armed suspect.”

Also Thursday:

>> Charles Hodges of STOP DWI gave the Odessa Police Department a plaque with the poem “Reflections” because all three “helped stop DWI” while at the department.

>> Texas Department of Public Safety Capt. Ron Joy gave each of the families a resolution read in the Texas legislature and a flag that flew over the capitol in Austin.