SOUTH JORDAN — In the last two years, five law enforcement officials have died in the line of duty. Several more have been injured.

For the injured, the road to recovery can be long and hard — and is often overlooked.

On Aug. 26, 2010 — as the Joint Criminal Apprehension Team (JCAT) served a knock-and-announce arrest warrant for Troy Cabibi, a violent offender — South Jordan police officer Stevan Gerber was shot.

"When the officers were making entry, a shot was fired from within the apartment, towards the officer," explained Gary Keller, spokesman for the South Salt Lake Police Department.

"I took a half a step and tried to go in, and the next thing I know I'm on the ground," Gerber said.

While it took a few minutes for him to realize what happened, it's something Gerber says he'll never forget. "The pain was incredible, absolutely the worst pain I had ever felt in my life," he said.

Gerber was shot above the kneecap. The bullet shattered his femur.

"(It) just cut right through it, shattered it, blew right out the back of my leg," he said.

Fellow JCAT officers pulled him to safety, and he credits them for saving his life.

Since the shooting, Gerber has had four surgeries to repair the damage. "They ended up putting in a 13-inch plate and 10 screws to ‘put Humpty Dumpty back together,'" he said.

Over the past two years, Gerber has been in and out of a wheelchair, on crutches and in therapy; re-learning to use his leg. He says it's been the hardest two years of his life, but he's determined to get back on the street.

"It doesn't sit well with me that someone is going to take something away from me for the rest of my life like that," Gerber said.

These days, Gerber helps residents from behind a desk at the South Jordan Police Department.

"He has such a positive attitude," said Shar Hoffman, the department's records technician. "He helps at the window, fingerprints a million people a day."

Not content to sit at a desk, Gerber trains with fellow officers as often as he can. He helps with the department's Citizen Academy and even takes time to share his experience with students.

"It just shows me how the people in the field put their lives on the line for people like us, everyday citizens," student Trevor McMurtury said, following a presentation by Gerber at Bingham High School.

"I have no idea where he gets that strength," said Amanda Action, another Bingham High student. "I think it's amazing that he was able to pull through that."

Gerber was the first officer shot in the South Jordan Police Department's history. He was also the first officer shot in JCAT history. His boss says his determination to return to JCAT is inspiring.

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Slain officer Francom remembered as devoted father; thousands attend funeral

Remembering him as a man who was devoted to his family, his job and the Dallas Cowboys, friends, family members and hundreds of law enforcement officers from across Utah and the U.S. said goodbye Jan. 11, 2012, to Ogden police officer Jared Francom.

"There are people who become police officers, and sometimes for the wrong reasons," South Jordan Police Chief Lindsay Shepherd said. "Officer Gerber, as well as most of our officers here are here for the right reasons."

Gerber says he often thinks about the officers who die in the line of duty, and it's those officers who give him the strength to move forward.

"I think of Agent (Jared) Francom, any of those guys, and I am sure they feel the same way. But what happened to him could have easily happened to me," Gerber said. "I'm really fortunate, so I don't really have a reason not to be positive."

Gerber's goal is to return to active duty by Aug. 26 of this year — the two-year anniversary of the shooting. He's also making it a goal to help other injured officers be recognized for their sacrifice.

The Utah Department of Public Safety says 576 officers were assaulted in 2010; 610 in 2011. And in the first five months of 2012, 140 officers have been assaulted, but not all agencies have turned in their numbers yet.

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