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SALT LAKE CITY — Fallen Unified police officer Doug Barney and injured officer Jon Richey were honored by the Utah Legislature on Tuesday.
Richey stood with Barney's widow and three children as legislators commemorated Richey's sacrifice and the ultimate sacrifice of officer Barney by reading a citation for each of them.
"In recognition of the exemplary life of a hero, the Utah House of Representatives and Senate pay tribute to Douglas R. Barney II," the first citation read.
"Our state lost one of its finest citizens. We mourn his loss and extend our profound condolences to his immediate and extended family," it continued.
House Minority Caucus Manager Patrice Arent, D-Millcreek, said she knew Barney and admired his optimism.
"He battled cancer for 12 years. I never heard him complain. I never heard him mention it. He was determined to beat it. He even worked extra shifts to pay for his medical bills, which is what he was doing the day he was killed," Arent said.
All of the certification presenters, including Sens. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, and Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City, and Reps. Sophia DiCaro, R-West Valley City, and Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, hugged the Barney family and officer Richey as they presented them with a copy of the citation.
Members of both legislative bodies directed many of their words to Barney's family.
DiCaro read Barney's citation and prefaced it by complimenting his wife, Erika.
"At a time when the community was mourning the loss of your husband and wanted very much to bring you comfort, it was you who brought us comfort with poise, with grace and a displayed strength that impacted every single one of us," she said.
To Barney's children, DiCaro added, "Thank you for sharing your father with us for so many years."
Other comments were directed toward injured officer Richey.
"It says something about Unified police officer John Richey that it took some amount of persuasion for him to allow us to honor him here today," Dabakis said.
The certification described Richey's long history of law enforcement service, including work with police dogs, and wished him a full and speedy recovery. Email: elarson@deseretnews.com
