Kankakee Times

State Rep. Mike Marron (R-Champaign) is vowing to not soon forget his ridealong with the Danville Police Department.

“In seeking to educate myself and trying to answer the question that was pressing my mind about what it was like to be part of the thin blue line, I took full advantage of an opportunity to do a ride along with a Danville Police Officer,” Marron said in a post to his website.  “It ended up becoming an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Marron said he previously took part in a ridealong program with the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office as the County Board chairman.

“That ridealong was interesting, but not as eventful as it took place during a cold part of the year when not much was happening,” he said. “My experience with Danville PD was completely different. These polar opposite experiences in and of themselves show one of the true challenges of police work: there are nights of boredom and drudgery that can turn eventful, or even deadly, at any time.”

Among the calls that came in while Marron was on hand was a “routine” domestic disturbance that had strikingly similar circumstances to a call the Champaign Police Department fielded back in May that ended in the death of Officer Chris Oberheim.

“I have always respected Law Enforcement, but this experience expanded that respect on an even greater level,” Oberheim said. “As a taxpaying citizen, it would do well for us to reflect on what we are asking of the Men and Women in Blue.”

Marron is credited with leading the charge in the enactment of a resolution that honors the memory of Officer Oberheim.

“I'd like to thank Rep. (Dan) Caulkins and Leader (Carol) Ammonds for helping put together this resolution and I would just ask the body to please keep the community of Champaign-Urbana in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this rough time,” Marron said in a video posted to YouTube.

According to several media outlets, the 44-year-old Oberheim was shot while getting out of his police vehicle and later died at an area hospital. Authorities identified the gunman as 24-year-old Darion Marquise Lafayette of Champaign. Lafayette was fatally shot by Oberheim's partner, Officer Jeffrey Creel.