COLD SPRING, Minn. — In Saint Boniface Catholic Church of Cold Spring, more than a hundred community members and law enforcement officers are remembered Officer Tom Decker, nearly 10 years after he was shot and killed in the line of duty.
"I love talking about Tommy, he was such a good son," said Decker's mother, Rosella.
She remembers her son as caring and always available to help anyone in need.
"He always had his eye on Cold Spring and he wanted to be an officer here, because he knew the people," she said.
"I like to come and show my support to other survivors," said Michelle Patrick. "It's comforting."
It's been 8-years since Michelle's husband, Officer Scott Patrick of the Mendota Heights Police Department, was killed while conducting a traffic stop.
"We were married 27 years, we were high school sweethearts," she said.
She's here – along with other families of fallen officers – joining in solidarity with those standing in her shoes.
"My dad was a 23-year veteran of the Stearns County Sheriff's Department, and he was killed in the line of duty in 1987," said Tina Arendt, daughter of Senior Deputy, Edwin Arendt. "The support of everyone around it helps a lot, it's very humbling to be here but it's also filled with a lot of mixed emotions, things like this weren't ever done for him years ago and now they're starting to do more things," she said.
One-by-one speakers shared personal stories.
"Tommy was good at what he did, very smart," said Cold Spring Police Chief Jason Blum.
A fundraiser was started to raise $60,000 to construct a memorial in honor of Decker and fellow officers.
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