Wings of a Bird

Steve Cox: So much bigger than his badge - by Robert Jamieson, Seattle P-I columnist
Steve Cox, the deputy for the King County Sheriff's Office who was shot in the head while on duty by a violent ex-con who clearly wasn't rehabilitated by the criminal-justice system.
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Cox cut across class and color lines to gain people's trust. He made it his business to know criminals on a first-name basis.
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The following is an excerpt from a tribute that someone left for Deputy Steve Cox outside his White Center office:
"Steve, nobody can replace you and what you meant to this community. You respected us and in return we pay you the highest compliment we can, which is to tell you that you were (and are) a part of us.
You spoke to us as equals and never discounted our concerns. Nor did you pull any punches. You knew our community from the inside out and called both the good guys and bad guys by name. You were fearless and because of the fearlessness we are all safer ... Where there was fear, you gave us hope.
We feel as if we have lost a close friend and we know there are many others here who feel the same. You were (you are) a good man."