Fellow Atlanta police officers are remembering their law enforcement brothers who were killed in the line of duty. Officers Richard Halford and Shawn Smiley were flying a helicopter Saturday night when they hit a power line and crashed.
The void has left even veteran officers like Lt. Jeff Hensal fighting back tears.
"He was a first class officer. He was a supervisor's dream. You could put him off on something and trust that he was not just going to do the minimum -- he was going to go over and above and achieve," said Hensal.
Hensal said that he has received hundreds of calls from people who were touched by these two officers and want to reach out and help.
Smiley was a 40-year-old married father of three who had a passion for flying.
"He had an infectious smile. His name was definitely fitting. He was always jovial," said Hensal.
Halford had 26 years on the force and is the father of a 21-year-old daughter.
SWAT Team bomb technician Tim VanJohnson met Halford on the job and grew to love the man behind the badge.
"He was a kind person. He was a quiet person. He exuded confidence. He entered the room with the confidence and poise about the person. He was a really good friend and officer," said VanJohnson.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday for Officer Richard Halford. The service will be held at Jackson Memorial Baptist Church, located at 534 Fairburn Rd NW in Atlanta.
On Saturday, a funeral will be held for Officer Shawn Smiley at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, located at 4400 North Peachtree Road in Atlanta. The service begins at 11 a.m.
Friday, May 24 2013 11:06 PM EDT2013-05-25 03:06:52 GMT
If you're hitting the road this weekend, you wont be alone. Plenty of drivers are expected to make use of the long Memorial Day weekend, both in and out of town.
If you're hitting the road this weekend, you wont be alone. Plenty of drivers are expected to make use of the long Memorial Day weekend, both in and out of town.
Friday, May 24 2013 11:00 PM EDT2013-05-25 03:00:01 GMT
An Army Reserve sergeant surprised his daughter by returning from an overseas deployment and presenting her with her diploma at high school graduation.
An Army Reserve sergeant surprised his daughter by returning from an overseas deployment and presenting her with her diploma at high school graduation.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:32 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:32:57 GMT
Authorities say more than a dozen people were injured in an accident involving a hotel shuttle bus near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Friday morning.
Authorities say more than a dozen people were injured in an accident involving a hotel shuttle bus near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Friday morning.
Friday, May 24 2013 10:28 PM EDT2013-05-25 02:28:55 GMT
In-depth reporting by the Druid Hills High School student newspaper on DeKalb's accreditation controversy landed the head of SACS as the school's commencement speaker on Friday.
In-depth reporting by the Druid Hills High School student newspaper on DeKalb's accreditation controversy landed the head of SACS as the school's commencement speaker on Friday.
Friday, May 24 2013 5:50 PM EDT2013-05-24 21:50:02 GMT
Memorial Day weekend marks the start of the summer boating season. Authorities are reminding folks that there are some new laws on Georgia's waterways.
Memorial Day weekend marks the start of the summer boating season. Authorities are reminding folks that there are some new laws on Georgia's waterways.
