SHOOTINGS MAKE US AWARE OF DUTY DANGERS

The shootings last Saturday night of two Cape Girardeau police officers were shocking and upsetting in so many ways.

Not since 1961 had a Cape Girardeau officer been wounded in a shootout. Two officers died that year following an exchange of gunfire on North Kingshighway. The last time a Cape Girardeau police officer killed an assailant was in 1984.

So when a 20-year-old man suspected of making methamphetamine in a motel room fired at Sgt. Bradley Moore and Cpl. Keith May and wounded both of them, there were waves of distress that spread over the community. The suspect, Matthew S. Marsh, was killed.

From time to time, those of us who enjoy the police protection stop to reflect on the potential danger each officer is exposed to in the line of duty. But police shootings are so rare here that it is easy to be lulled into thinking the danger isn't so great.

Then comes a situation like the one in the motel last Saturday night.

Alert guests at the motel reported suspicious activity. Most news reports about meth labs describe the telltale signs of chemical odors when meth is being produced. And the sad fact is that meth labs can be set up virtually anywhere, making innocent and unsuspecting neighbors -- in this case, other motel guests -- susceptible to immense danger.

Moore and May, like other police officers, were well-trained to deal with the situation they encountered at the motel. But in spite of that preparation and the bulletproof vests they were wearing, a young man who allegedly had vowed to shoot rather than go to prison managed to inflict serious injuries to the two policemen before he was killed.

It is when officers wind up in the hospital that the realization sinks in that the police are so vulnerable and are risking their lives.

As with any tragedy, many of us are at a loss about what we can do that will truly be of help. In our town, prayer comes easily to most of us. And thousands of prayers were said for Moore and May's speedy recovery.

And hundreds of us donated to the Police Officers Association's Back the Blue campaign to raise money for incidental expenses incurred by the families of Moore and May in the aftermath of the shooting. Still others offered donations to the Cape Girardeau Police Department in honor of the two officers, which the funds designated for lifesaving equipment that might save the life of another officer in a similar situation sometime in the future.

All in all, Cape Girardeans are fortunate to have officers like Moore and May who serve around the clock to make our community safe.