Utah family making renewed push for bullet proof windows on heels of NYC police shootings


16 photos
Save Story

Show 1 more video

Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

PROVO — The ambush-style killings of two New York City police officers Saturday brought back painful memories for at least one Utah family.

"This first thing I think is, 'Wow, this is happening again. We've got to stop this,'" said Nathan Mohler, the son of Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Cory Wride.

In January, Wride was shot and killed without warning as he sat in his patrol car after pulling over to help what he thought was a stranded motorist along the side of the road.

"I wish I could say that when something like that happens it's a one and done thing and the pain goes away. But it doesn't. You still have nightmares about it," Mohler said Sunday.

This time of year is bitter-sweet for the Wride family as it was at this time last year that everyone in the family got together for what would be the last holiday with Cory.

Mohler said the best advice he can give the families of the New York officers and every family that has lost an officer is to allow the community to help them.

"People in that situation need to know reaching out to your community helps the burden," he said. "Letting people help and serve you makes all the difference in the world."

Not just the immediate support, but also long-term support.

Since his father's death, Mohler and other members of his family have been working to raise funding or have legislation passed requiring bullet-proof windows and armor on police patrol vehicles.

In both his father's shooting and the shootings of the New York policemen, Mohler said the officers didn't even have time to react. With bullet-proof windows, officers would at least have a fighting chance, he said.

"I feel like it's our responsibility, my responsibility individually, to step in front of them where they've stepped in front of me so many years," he said.

The family of Cory Wride recently established the non-profit group Utah Code 4, named after the police radio code used to inform others that an officer is OK. A website was expected to be launched soon. Until then, the group has set up a Facebook page.

The group touts it will raise money "to keep law enforcement officers protected."


I wish I could say that when something like that happens it's a one and done thing and the pain goes away. But it doesn't. You still have nightmares about it.

–Nathan Mohler, son Sgt. Cory Wride


"We want to make sure the officers are well, that they have the things they need to do their job well.

"We really don't want anybody else to have to go through that type of pain, that type of sadness and sorrow that comes from losing a loved one that way," Mohler said. "When they're taken like that, it's unlike anything I've ever felt. It's undoubtedly probably the hardest experience I've ever gone through in my life."

Mohler believes if money can be gathered to equip officers with body cameras, money can also be raised to make their vehicles more secure.

A petition drive begun just a few weeks after Cory Wride's death callng for similar legislation fell well short of the needed 100,000 signatures needed for consideration. The petition drive only garnered 5,000 to 7,000 signatures.

But Mohler said his family wasn't discouraged with the results.

"My family, we're not going to take it lying down. We're not going to give up. We're going to try and advocate and make a difference and make a better change. There's not one of us in our family that doesn't feel like we've been given a higher calling or higher responsiblity at this point," he said.

The campaign at least raised awareness, he said. The problem, Mohler believes, is that people need to believe their individual voice matters.

"It's hard to get people to stand up and speak their voice. People don't think their voice matters," he said. "We need to unite if you want to make a difference. We need to unite together to make enough voice so it can be heard.

"If we can make enough noise it will happen," he said.

"What (police) do for us is something we can never repay. They literally put their lives on the line every time they put on a badge," Mohler said. "Do we have the guts to do what they do? There are very few people who do."

Photos

Related links

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Pat Reavy

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast