Para_Frog
March 5th, 2009, 03:42 PM
A little Harvey history, bear with me - Kenny's worth it...
Ill sergeant's sons accept honors (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/03/05/0305apdhonor.html)
After I got out of the Marine Corps back in 96, I joined the Austin Police Department. During my time there, I had the honor to work with a fella by the name of Kenny Wilson. He had just left the SWAT team as a sniper team leader and was on the fairly adolescent EOD squad.
Kenny was already a legend. There were two very high profile hostage incidents in Austin that were successfully ended through Kenny's sure trigger finger. He was an amazing shot. He was the kind of talent that brought fear to the hearts of bad men. And he was revered by the good guys.
With all of that talent, and all of that ninja reputation, you might assume that Kenny was some sort of gung-ho, macho shithead cop. He was anything but. He had this smile - a genuine, contagious smile that affected everyone who came in contact with him.
He was a walking lesson in "You can be a badass and still be human."
I got in contact with Kenny about 2 years ago (I left the department in 1999) and invited him to Idaho for some fishing as he was getting ready to retire. I would have enjoyed his company having never once talked about "the job." He was just that kind of guy. You were better for having him around.
Kenny is currently in his last days after a hard fought battle against terminal esophageal cancer. Most of the folks who read these boards have an understanding of the type of person Kenny was as a cop. adventurous, professional, and veins of pure ice. I can only hope that some can relate to how he was as a man as well.
You knuckleheads and my soldiers are my family for the most part. So I wanted to tell you about Kenny. And join me in saying goodbye to one of the greats.
- Harvey
Ill sergeant's sons accept honors (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/03/05/0305apdhonor.html)
After I got out of the Marine Corps back in 96, I joined the Austin Police Department. During my time there, I had the honor to work with a fella by the name of Kenny Wilson. He had just left the SWAT team as a sniper team leader and was on the fairly adolescent EOD squad.
Kenny was already a legend. There were two very high profile hostage incidents in Austin that were successfully ended through Kenny's sure trigger finger. He was an amazing shot. He was the kind of talent that brought fear to the hearts of bad men. And he was revered by the good guys.
With all of that talent, and all of that ninja reputation, you might assume that Kenny was some sort of gung-ho, macho shithead cop. He was anything but. He had this smile - a genuine, contagious smile that affected everyone who came in contact with him.
He was a walking lesson in "You can be a badass and still be human."
I got in contact with Kenny about 2 years ago (I left the department in 1999) and invited him to Idaho for some fishing as he was getting ready to retire. I would have enjoyed his company having never once talked about "the job." He was just that kind of guy. You were better for having him around.
Kenny is currently in his last days after a hard fought battle against terminal esophageal cancer. Most of the folks who read these boards have an understanding of the type of person Kenny was as a cop. adventurous, professional, and veins of pure ice. I can only hope that some can relate to how he was as a man as well.
You knuckleheads and my soldiers are my family for the most part. So I wanted to tell you about Kenny. And join me in saying goodbye to one of the greats.
- Harvey