Our small community was shaken 35 years ago by the loss of an officer.
Now, current Fairchild Chief of Police, Chad Halverson is reflecting on the 35th anniversary of losing Chief McCready during a barricaded suspect in a domestic disturbance and you can read his message below:
As a young police officer, I was introduced to Fairchild Police Chief Pat McCready by a Kevlar vest pierced by a bullet that was passed around at training. The events of 35 years ago on March 10, 1991 is one that forever impacted the families of the involved and the community that fateful day that Chief Pat McCready was killed in the line of duty.
Four months earlier Milwaukee Police Sgt. Michael Tourmo was shot and killed by a burglary suspect, and just over a month later Deputy Alan Albee of the Burnett County Sheriff’s Office was shot and killed, and Polk County Deputy Michael Severson gravely wounded when a felony suspect wanted in Minnesota shot at law enforcement trying to take him into custody. Severson died of his wounds later. Those are just some of the Wisconsin law enforcement killed in the line of duty during that time period, with many more others since.
Domestic disturbances are some of the most dangerous calls that law enforcement across the country respond to. Chief McCready responded to a dangerous situation, and didn’t shirk from his duty of trying to bring calm to a situation that was going to endanger lives, and in doing so gave his own. This community will forever be in his debt, and his families, for the sacrifices they were forced to make.
It is said that everyone dies two deaths. The first is when life ends with our body. The second is when our name is no longer spoken. Law enforcement everywhere strive for the public they serve to do what’s right. On this 35th anniversary of the Fairchild community losing Police Chief Pat McCready, I ask that everyone honor Chief McCready and his families sacrifice by doing something extra that is the right thing to do today.
Chief Pat McCready is also honored at the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington DC at Memorial Panel: 36-W: 18. A local memorial is located at the Lions Park in the 100 Block of North Front Street in the Village of Fairchild. Please help the Fairchild Community in honoring Chief Pat McCready on this day in remembering who he was to this community.
More information about Chief McCready can be found at https://www.odmp.org/officer/187-chief-of-police-patrick-boden-mccready
