A decorated Aurora police detective was laid to rest today, after an emotional service attended by more than 3,000 police officers from all over the state.
A longtime friend and colleague of Det. Mike Thomas recalled his avid love of the Broncos, his devotion to his daughter, and his selflessness in volunteering to work holidays so that junior officers could be home with their families.
Division Chief Ken Murphy said he first met Thomas at the police academy, in 1982.
“Mike you were somebody,” Murphy said, in his eulogy. “You were a loving, providing, protective dad. You were a faithful and supporting husband. You were a dependable and caring son. You were a reliable brother and an intimate lover. You were an outstanding police officer and our brother in blue. You were a cop’s cop.”
Murphy said Thomas’ 26-year-old daughter Nicole was his greatest joy, recalling his attendance at Nicole’s recent wedding, and watching how Thomas handled the day.
“I could tell, I knew that he was proud of you. And don’t ever doubt in the slightest your dad knew he loved him.”
Murphy told the packed Heritage Christian Center that Thomas was a humble man.
“For those of you who know Mike, he’d be touched by this. He’d think too much attention was being paid. But this one argument I’d win with Mike – I’d tell him he deserved it – he was an outstanding police officer.”
Governor Owens was among those who praised Thomas for his commitment to justice.
“A man for whom service wasn’t just a platitude, but it was a way of life,” said Owens.
The governor said he distantly knew Thomas, who moved into the Owens family’s neighborhood years ago. Owens and Thomas saw one another occasionally, during yard work or Halloween trick-or-treating. But Owens said he wasn’t sure Thomas would have remembered him.
“While he didn’t know me, I knew him, met him several times, and just to his family and friends I wanted to say, thank you for how he served us.”
“In the end it wasn’t Mike’s badge that made him a target,” said Owens. “It seems it was a random act of hatred, an evil man committing an evil action toward a perfect stranger. No one could have prevented this horrible act of violence but what we can do is take up the charge of service where Mike left off. Every American should be inspired by the life of service that consumed Michael Thomas.”
Thomas was killed while sitting in his car at an Aurora intersection. Brian Washington, 27, faces murder charges. Investigators say he didn’t know Thomas, but that race may have been a factor in the shooting.
Aurora Police Chief Daniel Oates thanked Aurora police officers for their professionalism in dealing with Thomas’ death, and their rigorous investigation of the murder.
“I can stand here today and tell you that Mike Thomas will have his moment of justice in the courtroom,” Oates said. “I guarantee it.”
Oates thanked several “heros” as well.
“One of our officers, Scott Osgood, intially responded to the scene.
Before he knew what was upon him, he confronted and disarmed the suspect….the entire Aurora PD thanks you,” said Oates.
Oates thanked four citizens who came to Osgood’s aid, perhaps saving his life. And he thanked Aurora firefighters and medical personnel who tried to save Thomas.
“A good cop needs three qualities to succeed: courage, compassion and a sense of humor,” said Oates. “He possessed all those qualities in abundance.”
“The challenge is how to honor Mike Thomas after we leave here and for the rest of our lives,” he said. “Once again we’re reminded that we need to do more to prevent evil from harming the innocent.”
Oates charged police officers in the room with rededicating themselves to doing their jobs well, to be painstaking in investigating and seizing evidence, so as to help prosecutors build the strongest possible case against criminals.
Oates concluded his remarks by asking everyone at the service to stand and give Thomas a round of applause.
Thomas was a 24-year veteran of the department. He had earned more
than a dozen awards, including the department’s medal of honor in
1992. He also had worked in the police canine unit and in
narcotics.
