Below is the text of Governor Walker's remarks from the service for Trooper Trevor Casper today:
On behalf of the State of Wisconsin, I want to offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Trooper Trevor Casper. And on a personal level, Tonette and I offer our prayers, today and in the days to come, to Trooper Casper's parents Kevin and Deborah, his sisters Lauren and Olivia, his grandmother and grandfather, his dear friend Brittany, and to all of his other family and friends. Thank you for sharing Trevor with us all.
We also offer our prayers to his extended family in the Wisconsin State Patrol, and to law enforcement officials all across this state and around the country. There are representatives from nearly every state here today. We mourn with you - and we thank God every day for men and women like Trevor who are willing to serve.
Flags across this state fly at half-staff - both as a sign of respect to the family, friends and co-workers of Trooper Casper, and also as a symbol of our collective sorrow here in Wisconsin in losing one of our finest.
Trevor Casper was born ready to do this job. We heard that time and time again this week - from his parents, from the police chief here in town, from his classmates at the academy.
As Kiel Police Chief Dave Funkhauser told my office earlier this week, Trevor understood the importance of "protect and serve" at an early age. He said that Trooper Casper had all of the attributes he would want of his own officers. He said you could talk to anyone in Kiel and they would tell you that Trevor was true, and real, and good.
Zac Bohlman went through the academy with Trevor and told us of how excited Trooper Casper was to be at the academy. He said that they had just had a conversation about how they both loved the Fond du Lac area and their work.
Chris Reyna also went to the academy with Trevor. Chris spent more than two decades in the United States Military and so he was the oldest in the class. Trevor was the youngest, yet they bonded.
Chris told us that he asked Trevor on the second day of the academy if he was ready for this and Trevor said, "I was born ready."
Chris said that he respected how focused and committed Trevor was to protect and serve. As Chris said, Trevor was wise beyond his years.
Kyle Dudek roomed with Trevor at the academy and got to know him as a positive force in the crowd. If anyone was struggling, he said Trevor was there to cheer them up. The two hit it off as they were both excited to serve in the state patrol and they both shared a love for hunting, fishing and wrestling.
Kyle said he spoke with Trevor about their training and how they would act when facing dangerous situations. Kyle said that Trevor was unwavering in his commitment to uphold his oath and eliminate the threat to protect others, even though it would mean putting his own life in danger.
That is exactly what Trooper Trevor Casper was doing on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. He was doing what he was trained to do. He was eliminating the threat. He was showing what it means to protect and serve. He was doing what he was born to do.
Video, from FOX6 News:
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