NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — It’s been said that goodbyes make you think. They make you realize what you had and what you lost, perhaps what you’ve taken for granted.
At just 24 years old, Katie Thyne was a loving mother with a loving partner, and a police officer who got it.
“If I could put a little of Katie in every officer, that would be top-notch,” Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said.
Drew said Katie cared about people and always did her job with a smile. She was exactly the type of officer his department tries to recruit.
“They'll teach people the law. We can teach them how to testify in court, but I can’t teach people how to care about people, and that’s what I’m looking for,” Drew added.
Since Katie’s death in January, the department has received dozens of cards and letters -- even an occasional pat on the back -- that have shown his officers the community really cares.
“It’s amazing how something so horrific has brought the city so close together,” Drew said.
Drew has encouraged his officers to lean on each other and to talk about Katie's death, and if there are tears, well, that’s okay.
“No regrets, no. I could sit there stone-faced, but that’s not who I am,” Drew said, wiping a tear.
The chief said he has a young department and many officers who were in Katie’s recruiting class and recognizes, in many ways, he is a father figure.
“I see those faces. How do make sure they’re okay?” Drew asked, reflecting on conversations he has with young recruits before they hit the streets.
Drew said he's seen body cam video of the traffic stop in which Katie was dragged to her death. If there are ways the department can get better, he will make policy changes.
Drew said he's learned from his mentors and others that there is no blueprint for getting through something like this, nor is there a timetable. But Drew said his officers are answering the call to duty every day and they will get through this.
As for what Drew would like Katie's legacy to be: "Katie would want us to go forward. Katie would want us to continue to work with youth. Katie would want us to continue to treat people with respect."
If you would like to donate to the fund to support Officer Katie Thyne's daughter, you can do that through the Newport News Police Foundation's website.
You also can send your donation as well as a card to:
Officer Thyne Memorial Fund
Newport News Police Foundation
PO Box 120496
Newport News, VA 23612
