The 10th anniversary of the murder of Officers Ron Ryan Jr. and Officer Tim Jones will be August 26th. Both of these St. Paul Officers were murdered by what the Star Tribune described as “a small time drug dealer” by the name of Guy Harvey Baker, a man who was on his way from his home in Iowa to Canada. Baker also killed Jones’ dog Laser.
The story included comments from Ron Ryan Sr. and his wife. Ron is a great guy and an outstanding law enforcement professional. I am fortunate to work with him on the Minnesota Statewide Gang Strike Task Force. Ron is the commander of the task force and I am a member of the task force oversight committee. My thoughts go out to Ron and his family as well as the family of Officer Jones.
The Star Tribune did an excellent job of reporting on the story. You can access the article by clicking here. Memorials and remembrances of this nature remind me that we still live in a society where it is necessary for individuals to give up their lives to protect others. This fact transcends politics or social debate. It is a reminder that there are people who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for others. It is an honorable and noble thing to do and we shouldn’t wait until an officer is killed, injured or remembered to thank those who risk their lives to protect ours.
For those of you who carry on the honorable tradition of policing, thank you and stay safe.