A friend of mine was killed the other night...

I knew Brandon Collins.

It was the mid 90s and we were officers in the jail assigned to the hootowl shift.  He was a rookie and I was a 3-year veteran jailer.  We had scut detail on the shift nobody wanted babysitting Tulsa’s biggest and baddest "alleged" criminals at the city jail.

It's been over 20 years since I've seen or even spoke to him.  It's a part of the job when you work in law enforcement to see people come and go as greener and more profitable pastures open up and attrition takes your path in other directions but you remember the people you served with nonetheless.

He was killed in the line of duty over the weekend, the victim of a drunk driver who slammed into his patrol car when he was conducting a traffic stop.

Just hours earlier, he had celebrated his 4-year old child's birthday.

I have few words.  None of them complimentary to those who abuse alcohol or drugs.  I won't express them here, as it would only lessen the impact of Brandon's death.

It just goes to prove that every day is precious.   Every day could be your last.