Pubdate: Sat, 27 Jan 2001
Source: Oregonian, The (OR)
Copyright: 2001 The Oregonian
Contact:  1320 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
Fax: 503-294-4193
Website: http://www.oregonlive.com/
Forum: http://forums.oregonlive.com/
Author: Maxine Bernstein

POLICE PAY TRIBUTE TO SLAIN COMRADE

A Lieutenant Recounts A Tragic Drug Raid On "Officer Colleen Waibel Day"

Between Southeast Precinct's regular roll-call announcements to officers
Friday afternoon, supervisors encouraged the police to pause and mark
the three-year anniversary of Officer Colleen Waibel's death.

Waibel, 44, was fatally shot about noon on Jan. 27, 1998, during a drug
raid in Southeast Portland. Portland Police Chief Mark Kroeker declared
Friday "Officer Colleen Waibel Day," and urged employees to observe a
moment of silence at 11:30 a.m. as he paid tribute to the slain officer
at the Portland Police Memorial wall at Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

At the Southeast Precinct roll call, officers received the usual rundown
of suspects they should be on the lookout for, crime "hot spots" they
should pay attention to and reports on street activity earlier in the
day.

Then Lt. Randy Killinger recounted what happened to Waibel, especially
for a handful of officers who never knew her and have been hired since
her death.

Waibel was working with the bureau's Marijuana Task Force when officers
knocked on the door of a house at 2612 S.E. 111th Ave. They had seen one
of the residents buying growing equipment in October 1997 and smelled
growing marijuana outside the house the day of the raid. As they waited
for a search warrant, officers smelled burning marijuana and saw smoke
rise from the chimney.

Fearing that someone was destroying evidence of the growing operation,
they broke down the front door. One of the residents opened fire with an
assault rifle, killing Waibel and injuring two other officers.

"Any one of us could have been standing right there," Killinger told his
officers. "We do want you to be cautious, aware. Try to recognize a
threat, and take care of yourself."

And, before sending the officers out to the streets to begin their
afternoon shifts, Killinger reminded them: "The number one thing is that
you go home at night. All right then, go to work."
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