Phoenix Police Seargent Ben Kartchner said, “He’s left a precious child and a wife behind, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that they’re taken care of for the rest of their life.”
Graduating from kindergarten should be a celebrated event in a child’s life. But for Tatum Raetz and her mother it was a bittersweet experience Wednesday afterno0n. Tatum’s father, 29-year-old Phoenix Police Officer Daryl Raetz was killed in the line of duty while conducting a DUI stop around 3:30 a.m. Sunday morning when a separate vehicle struck him and then fled the scene. Although nothing and no one could ever replace a father and husband, the Phoenix Police Department turned out en mass to support Officer Raetz’s family on Wednesday at the graduation ceremony held at Ridgeline Academy.
According to CBS 5, “Uniformed officers three deep lined the walls of the room where Ridgeline Academy held the ceremony,” and Officer Keith Garn explained, “The purpose of us is to be here in proxy for Daryl and to let her know that we’re here for her.”
People wishing to help the family can make online donations at the 100 Club of Arizona.