When I think of Curt Massey, the words “SPRING INTO ACTION” come to mind. I was Curt’s partner as School Resource Officers until I received the bittersweet news that he was being promoted to Sergeant. It was a tough day for me. I knew I was losing my partner and “Coffee Bean” buddy, but I also knew my fellow officers were gaining a great supervisor who would always champion their best interests. In my 10 years at the Department, few officers have ever been as universally loved or respected as Curt. You could tell he was loved because even when he did something whacky or made a huge production of something routine (things that would often invoke anger or disbelief from the officers that fell victim to it), we would all just smile, shake our heads, and say, “Yeah, that’s Curt.” As much as we’ve heard in these last several days what a tremendous heart Curt had and what a selfless devotion he had to the local youth, Curt was very much a realist. He knew that he could not reach many of these kids and that many of them would one day grow up to be the “bad guys” we were always on the hunt for. In our many discussions, I would confront him with the possibility that our best efforts were no match for the constant negative bombardment of their friends and even worse, their families. Curt’s response to these questions were always a smile and an unwavering, “That’s no reason not to try.” Curt’s unending hunt for criminals paled in comparison to his hunt for THAT ONE KID that he could offer an alternative to the dead end road they were traveling. It was an optimism I couldn’t have understood as a young officer, but would later make Curt a true hero and role model forever in my eyes. I miss you, Curt. Your passing has brought me so much sadness for so many reasons. But I promise you, I’m a better person, a better father and husband, and a better cop today because of my time with you. Your friend, Pete Hernandez PS- If there are any bad guys in Heaven, they’re in big trouble now…