Dallas police return to work with a renewed sense of purpose

by Rebecca Aguilar

Dallas Police Sgt. Mark Lang

More than 70 Dallas Police officers returned to work Monday with a renewed sense of purpose. For the past few days they’ve been in Washington D.C. where police officers killed in the line of duty were remembered during National Police Week Observance.

"Every officer should make this trip at least one time in their career" says Dallas Police Sgt. Mark Lang. It was the first time he took part in National Police Week. Lang, a member of Dallas SWAT says the candlelight vigil at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was something he will never forget. The names of 387 officers who have died in the line of duty, including 133 who died in 2008 were honored and added to the memorial wall.

Dallas Police Sgt. Mark Lang

One of the names added to the wall was that of Dallas Senior Corporal, Victor Lozada-Tirado. The 49-year-old was killed in February 2008 when his motorcycle hit a curb as he was escorting then Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to a rally in Oak Cliff. Sgt. Lang says "It means so much to see a good man's name honored in such a way that no one will ever forget him." Several of Lozada-Tiada's fellow motorcycle patrol officers made the trip to Washington. So did the officer’s wife and children.

Sgt. Lang says he and the other Dallas officers took part in the events for the families of their fallen comrades. Lang says “We want them to know that the officers may be gone, but they're still part of us, and always will be.”