Trooper Dies - Detail Work Implicated

I hate to use a tragedy to make a point, but I'm going to: the death of Tpr. Paul Barry would probably have been averted if he hadn't been up long hours to work a road detail, most of which are completely useless and serve only to raise costs and exhaust the police.  My condolences to the Barry family for this senseless loss and my apologies for using it to make a point.  I do so only to strike while the iron is hot, as it were, while the issue is fresh in the public eye.  According to the reports, Tpr. Barry was the father of seven children, all under age 11, and the husband of MaryEllen Barry, who already had her hands full.  I urge you to contribute what you can to the fund for the family.  From the Herald:

A fund has been set up at Bank of America for the Barry family. People can make donations at bank branches or send them to Bank of America, Children of Paul F. Barry Memorial Fund, 80 Franklin Village Drive, Franklin, MA 02038.

Comments

[Maggie]

It's good that you link to the fund or Paul & Maryellen's children. However, if I may, the remark "...and the husband of MaryEllen Barry, who already had her hands full." seems to insinuate a burden. These children are not that in anyway. All of them are cherished gifts. Maryellen is a fabulous mother who will, with the support of her family and the State Police community get through this. Paul & Maryellen were not overwhelmed by their children.
Also, despite your statement that you hate to use this sad event to illustrate your point, you don't know that your point is valid. Judgements should be made after all the facts are in.

[carpundit]

Maggie,
Your first point, that I insinuated that the children were difficult is not one I agree with, but one I am certainly willing to bend over to correct. All I meant was that she must work very hard, because rearing children is hard work. Now she will have to do that work without her husband, which is even harder.

Your second point, that the facts are not all in, is correct. They are not. That's why I wrote, "probably." If this had nothing to do with exhaustion, I'll certainly write that when the facts are in.

Thanks for your thoughts, and thanks for supporting the Barry family and all the other Troopers who work to keep us safe.

CP

[Maggie]

I will concede that I am overly sensative where Paul & Maryellen are concerned.

[Maggie]

You are being misquoted over at another blog.

http://tapscottbehindthewheel.blogspot.com/2006/06/carnival-of-cars-drive-around-auto_17.html

He write "Carpundit explains why the death of State Trooper Paul Barry was a scandal and how you can help his wife and 11 - count'em folks, 11! - kids now that he is gone."

Also, I did not say this before....I think it's good of you to post the link to the fund. Thank you.

[BK]

Glad to see someone has the guts to point out the obvious - Trooper Barry will be missed by his family, his co-workers, and our society. But, these etra details and over time places the Police Officers in danger - when they are working the over time - and then we end up with a Police Officer who may be a little too tired to attend to his duties.

Perhaps the Police Union will step up and stop this practice?

Trooper Barry sounds like he must have been a great guy.

[Do something positive]

Quote -
"I hate to use a tragedy to make a point, but I'm going to: the death of Tpr. Paul Barry would probably have been averted if he hadn't been up long hours to work a road detail, most of which are completely useless and serve only to raise costs and exhaust the police."

Do you have factual information as to how long the detail was - NO

What is your point this tragedy would have been averted if a truck wasn't allowed to sit for hours and neither the owner nor the proper authorities who were notified did anything about it for how many hours what 7 - 8 hours at least?

What were the road conditions wet/slick and that section of road was repaved recently did you know that? Before that area the road is all pot holes on 495 North. Go there follow the same route or yet try it at 4:30 am in the rain and see how the visibiity was.

How many people across the United States work extra hours to pay the bills do you have that information. Thousands of people drive home from work exhausted every day. How many of them have seven children and are forced to pay $3.00 for a gallon of gas. Do you know what it costs to feed a family of nine and pay all the bills.

Would it have made a difference if Trooper Barry worked another job instead of a detail, would that have saved his life because the truck was still there for 7-8 hours.

Do you just write and not have any knowledge of the man or family because I do and since you want to "strike while the iron is hot" then lets begin with this. Change the Laws in Massachusetts and no car/truck etc. should be allowed to sit in the breakdown lane. If the owner doesn't have AAA then it's towed to the nearest lot.

The most pathetic issue you missed is the detail should have been assigned right where that truck sat on 495 North for hours and how many people drove by and did nothing? How many just missed it? Did anyone care because I will guarantee you that Law will be changed and the 24 hour free pass the buck not my job days are over. Fight for that change and The Barry Family, relatives, friends and Law Enforcement would stand with you. Only one call the 911 in 7-8 hours warning of the impending danger that killed my best friend.

[carpundit]

I am truly sorry that Paul Barry died. Every MSP person I know says that he was a good man. It is a tragedy.

Lots of things could have stopped that death, I think (my opinion, based on common sense and practical experience, not on first-hand information). Yes, the truck should have been moved. That falls first on the owner, and second on the Trooper who owns that patrol. Maybe he swept his road that shift, and maybe not. Maybe he saw the truck as a threat, and maybe not. But my guess is that an exhausted Tpr. Barry, working details to support his family, didn't have the alertness level we would wish.

I support an across-the-board raise for police in Massachusetts and an abolition of the mandatory paid detail for road work.

I am sorry for your loss. For our loss.

[Cheryl Cila]

As the wife of a fallen officer, Trooper Vincent Cila, who passed away on July 22, 2005 in a motorcycle accident. I have read the comments about the troopers being exhausted and working over time. Why don't we start with giving these troopers raises so that they don't have to go out there and work several details or overtimes a week. I have two children at home and we lived paycheck to paycheck. If my husband wasn't working overtime that day he would still be home with us. You see, why don't you look up the salaries of these troopers and see if you could live on it. I am appauled when I hear they don't do anything on those details. I was married for almost 14 years and you people don't realize all the holidays my husband had to work, at straight time, all the weekends and family functions he could not make. Troopers need to work the overtimes or details to survive. My heart goes out to the Barry family, I know and am living the pain. Maryellen, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you and your children. God Bless You All. You know I'm always here for you!!
Cheryl Cila
(Wife of the late Trooper Vincent P. Cila)

[Cousin]

I am a family member of Trooper Barry and I stumbled upon this website and I am extremely upset that someone would write such a thing. His overtime had nothing to do with his death. He did not fall asleep at the wheel. That just goes to show how little you know about the real situation.

Please do not use my cousin as an example for what you are against. Paul was a great husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin,friend. His wife is not burdened by their children. She loves and cares for those children more than you will ever know.

If you are against overtime or details for police officers than please find another way to state that and let my cousin rest in peace.

[Maryellen Barry]

In response to all of the above is my long overdue response.Although I do not ever need to explain to anyone, to set the record straight, my beautiful husband suffered a heart complication while in the performance of his duty as a Mass. State Trooper, which led to his tragic fatal accident. Paul was honored to do his job every day and felt priviledged to serve our Commonwealth. For Carpundit to suggest that my husband fell asleep while driving, before any facts could be determined, is just wild speculation, and disrespectful of law enforcement as a whole. As in most familes, for us a second income was a necessity. Although I also worked for many years, Paul and I were fortunate that he could also be that second income. It did and does enable me to be home with the 7, not 11, children that we have been so greatly blessed with. With no disrespect to civilian flaggers, a uniformed officer in a police vehicle does save lives, even on "just an overtime shift". As Trooper Cila's wife pointed out, this is truly a calling, a life choice made by our husbands. These are men of honor and integrity that just go to work like most of you, each day. The difference is that they would and do go to the mat for a stranger, no questions asked. My hope for you Carpundit is simply that in the future you reserve judgement until the facts are in before you bomb toss to get attention for yourself. With gratitude for the support given to us and much love, Maryellen Barry and Family

[John Fitzgerald]

My sympathies to you MaryEllen and I hope that you are all well. You continue to be in everyone's prayers. It is typical that this coward with an agenda has yet to respond to you comments. What do you expect. God Bless the Barry, Cila and Charbonnier Families.

[carpundit]

Tpr. Cila's wife is spot-on. Troopers should get raises so they don't have to work the details. That would have to be part of any reform of the detail system, and it would have to be a meaningful raise.

As for John's words, I've responded privately to him.

As for Mrs. Barry's, she's entitled to the last word here, and I intend to let her have it.

[Maryellen Barry]

While I appreciate that, it isn't so much about the last word but simply about deciding to set the record straight after so much initial ridiculous and unfounded speculation about my wonderful husband. As I stated, I would hope that in the future you simply reserve judgement and comments until facts can be established - before you start these hurtful postings for everyone to read. Everyone, particularly in any type of loss situation, deserves that minimal respect from you. Actually, you also wrote in one of your earliest postings to Maggie that when the facts came in you would correct your comments based on facts that I've now shared. I have yet to see you do that, although you certainly took a lot of time determining Paul's cause of death in the first few days. My thanks again to everyone else that was with us from those first moments, and continue to be with us to this day. Your support, love and prayers have meant more to me, the children and our families than I can ever express.You help us each day to continue to go forward and honor our husband, father, son, brother and friend. My gratitude and our love, Maryellen and the Kids

[Juno888]

Please do not use my cousin as an example for what you are against. Paul was a great husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin,friend. His wife is not burdened by their children. She loves and cares for those children more than you will ever know.

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If only the 350 cities and towns could find the same political will. We can break the back of the police unions here, if people don't chicken out.

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Never leave that until tomorrow, which you can do today.

[Stephen Schaunt]

I feel sad for his loss but it saddens me more to know that he had left his seven children. Situations like these are unavoidable and in my hometown in Oakland, accident lawyers take charge of handling different accident-related cases. Also here in Oakland, auto accident lawyers who handles vehicular-accident cases, are known to be trusted in solving lots of clients' concerns on car accidents.

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