A retired Tacoma police officer knows all too well the guilt that comes with an accidental death in the line of duty. He has been living with it for more than 30 years.
During a struggle with an armed suspect in 1986, Dave Paul, then a Tacoma Police officer, accidentally shot and killed his partner.
“I would say there's not a week that goes by that you don't think about it,” Paul said.
He eventually returned to work, thanks to the support of his colleagues, family, and friends.
“The first night back out I wanted to be a strictly one-man car. It was something in my mind says, ‘no I don't want another partner right now,’ and I went on just a routine call,” Paul recalled.
He says he'll never forget what happened next.
“I took the report and came back out and there’s two police cars parked up the street. They're kind of watching after you. I said, 'are you guys my guardian angels tonight?’ And they said, ‘for however long it takes,’” Paul said.
Paul says his first responder family was there for him and helped him cope with the tragedy.
“You walk out the door to go to work, you leave one family and you go to another family,” Paul said. “You are there for those guys and they are there for you.”
