| In Memory of Sgt. Chris Reyka |
On August 10, 2007
at 0120 hours, Sgt. Chris Reyka, while on patrol was brutally murdered
in a hail of bullets. He was ambushed as he exited his patrol
car to check a suspicious vehicle. Chris leaves behind a lovely
wife, four children, one of whom is a United States Marine (Chris was
a Marine and now his eldest son is hoping to enter the police academy,
following in his father’s footsteps), a grieving church, a devastated
community, and scout troop. Chris and I were supervisors on the
same shift and I was one of the first officers to arrive on the scene.
In order to assist his family, I am donating 50 % of the author’s
royalties from my book, Past the Uniform, to The
Sergeant Christopher Reyka Education Fund established by the Broward
Sheriff’s Office, Broward County, Florida. The book would make a great
gift for anyone wishing to enter the field of law enforcement as well
as the general public. Veteran officers with years of experience
would enjoy this book as they relate to the numerous adventures.
Daughter Says Large Showing Of Support Warms Her Heart SUNRISE, Fla. -- Funeral services were held Wednesday for Broward Sheriff's Office Sgt. Chris Reyka, who was killed in the line of duty last week. An estimated 8,000 people filled the BankAtlantic Center for the memorial service. Most of them were law enforcement officers from various departments around the state, Local 10's Roger Lohse reported. Reyka's son, Sean, a Marine like his father, led the pallbearers who walked the flag draped coffin from the hearse into the building where Sheriff Ken Jenne delivered the eulogy. "One of the best, one of the brightest of all our protectors are gone," said Jenne. Jenne described the 51-year-old lawman as a dedicated deputy whose passion for his job was surpassed only by the love for his family. Reyka's wife, Kim, and the couple's four children comforted each other in the front row during the memorial and thanked mourners for their support. Kim Reyka thanked the crowd for helping her family cope with the loss of her husband. "Chris touched many people's lives in many special ways and we are all broken. His example of love and respect, his sense of humor, and his sense of honor will always be remembered," she said. Reyka was killed last Friday in the parking lot of a Walgreens on Powerline Road in Pompano Beach. Investigators said he was checking on a car with stolen plates when the passenger in the car ambushed him. Detectives are still looking for the killer who they believe left the scene in a white four-door sedan. But it was Reyka's life that was remembered Wednesday, Lohse reported. A DVD was played during the service that documented his childhood, service in the Marines and his law enforcement career. But it mainly captured Reyka's dedication to his family. Sean Reyka described his father as a loving father and mentor. "There are few men like him in this world and I can only say that one day I hope I will be able to fill his shoes," he said. The service lasted about 90 minutes. Reyka was buried at South Florida National Veteran's Cemetery in Lake Worth. 'He Loved To Be A Cop' Daughter Ashley Reyka, in speaking with the media Tuesday for the first time since her father's death, said the 18-year BSO veteran died doing what he loved. "He loved to be a cop," she said. "Even my friends would say, you know, they always heard him say he liked to work the night shift because it's where all the action was." Reyka's oldest daughter maintained her composure as she described the last time his children saw their father before he went to work Thursday night. "We always walked to the front door and gave him a kiss, and he'd get in his cruiser with his coffee and he'd leave," she said. When asked what her father's final words were, she said, "I love you and I'll see you in the morning." Ashley Reyka, her grandfather and uncle joined the hundreds of BSO deputies who paid their respects at his visitation Tuesday at the Forest Lawn North Funeral Home in Pompano Beach. The line of deputies waiting to get inside the funeral home stretched the length of the building. Inside, Reyka's body lay in a closed casket, draped in an American flag and surrounded by roses. Earlier in the day, strangers and law enforcement personnel from other agencies gathered outside a makeshift memorial of flowers, cards and stuffed animals in the Walgreens parking lot near the place where Reyka was mortally wounded. Diane Harvey, who lives just a few blocks away from where Reyka was killed, said his death symbolizes complete disregard for the law and life.
"Just the fact that he was out there
protecting us and for this to happen, it's unthinkable," Harvey
told Local 10's Roger Lohse.
Digg this content or Bookmark it using your favorite service below                            |
