GEORGIA LINE OF DUTY DEATH~ Senior Police Officer Gail Thomas
On January 24, 2012, Senior Police Officer Gail Thomas of the Atlan
ta Police Department died in the line of duty.
Senior Police Officer Gayle Thomas was struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver while assisting other officers with a traffic incident on the exit ramp from southbound I-75 to northbound I-85.
She had just exited her vehicle when she was struck by the drunk driver. She was struck again by other vehicles after initially being struck by the drunk driver.
The driver of the first vehicle to strike Officer Thomas was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide, DUI, and reckless driving.
APD Chief George Turner said the incident left the officer’s colleagues shaken. “As you can imagine, there are a lot of very raw nerves and emotions,” Turner said. “We are very concerned about the family, and also about our family. We encourage our officers to depend on each other and to seek out help.”
Officer Katie Riester, who lowered the flag outside Atlanta police headquarters to half-staff Wednesday morning, remembered her fallen colleague as a “great police officer” who “loved policing.”
“She will be so missed by everyone here,” Riester said.
“She was such a sweet person,” Riester said. “Her smile was just infectious; she could just brighten up a room.”
Former Atlanta police Major John Woodard, who once supervised Thomas, agreed, telling the AJC in an e-mail that the officer “always had a smile on her face.” “Gail was one of the nicest people that you would ever want to meet,” Woodard said. “Her death will leave a hole in the hearts of those who knew her.”
Officer Thomas had served with the Atlanta Police Department for 15 years. Please join with us in sending our condolences to the family and peers of.
“Rest easy, sister. We’ve got it from here.”
Cards and letters of condolence can be sent to:
Chief George Turner
Atlanta Police Department
226 Peachtree Street SW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 614-6544
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