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AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: MAY 2009 47 who sacrificed their lives were 39 years old and had served for 12 years. The two youngest offi cers — both 22 — were Evange- line Parish (LA) Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Carter, who collapsed and died on De- cember 19 during the foot pursuit of a burglary sus- pect; and Jose Rivera, a Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional offi cer, who was stabbed to death on June 20 by two inmates at a Califor- nia penitentiary. Officer Rivera was also one of four correctional of- fi cers to make the supreme sacrifi ce in 2008. The oth- ers were: New York City Correctional Offi cer Kenny Duncan; Arizona Correc- tional Officer Douglas E. Falconer; and Alabama Cor- rectional Officer Rodney Kelley. The oldest offi cer to die in 2008 was William K. Chadwell, a deputy sheriff with the Pickaway County (OH) Sheriff 's Offi ce. On Christmas Eve, the 70-year- old deputy was clearing a fallen tree from the road when he was struck and killed by a vehicle. Six of the offi cers killed in 2008 served with federal agencies, compared to 17 federal fatalities in 2007. Thirteen of the fatalities last year were women, mak- ing 2008 the third deadliest year in history for female officers. Only 2002 with 15, and 1998 with 14, had more. Among the female offi cers who had their lives taken in 2008 was Isabel Nazario, a Philadelphia police offi cer who was killed when her patrol car was struck by a stolen vehicle driven by a 16-year-old boy. Offi cer Nazario was one of four Philadelphia offi cers killed in 2008, the most of any single agency. On August 26 of last year, Montana State Trooper Evan F. Schneider, 29, was at- tempting to stop a vehicle for a traffi c violation when he was killed in an auto crash. At his funeral, the head of the Montana Highway Patrol, Colonel Paul Grim- stad, related the story of Trooper Schneider's initial job interview some five years earlier. Trooper Schneider was asked why he wanted to join the Highway Patrol. "Evan said he wanted to work with the good people," recalled Colonel Grimstad. "To this day, that answer makes my job worthwhile." Craig W. Floyd is Chairman of the National Law Enforce- ment Offi cers Memorial Fund. Visit www.nleomf.com for more information about law enforce- ment offi cers killed in the line of duty. Evan Schneider Montana State Police Isabel Nazario Philadelphia P.D. Jose Rivera Federal Bureau of Prisons Kenny Duncan NYC Correctional Offi cer Rodney Kelley Alabama Corrections Thomas Ballman Kirkwood MO P.D. William Biggs Kirkwood MO P.D. Circle number 7 on the Reader Service Card. © 2009 Eye Safety Systems, Inc.