A local news reporter covering the funeral of a fallen Florida Highway Patrol Trooper was caught on a hot mic complaining that the somber event was a waste of his day. This is a slap in the face to all those who protect and serve. And a stark reminder to those of us who back the blue that we must be diligent in our support and efforts to spread awareness.
Trooper Joseph Bullock Killed In The Line Of Duty
Trooper Joseph Bullock was shot and killed in the line of duty. His family now must pick up the pieces of their lives after Bullock brutally lost his serving the community. He also served our nation in the United States Air Force. That didn’t appear to matter to the WFLA reporter who was bored with the funeral services he was charged with covering.
The entire Florida Highway Patrol and FLHSMV family mourns today for the loss of one of our own, FHP Trooper Joseph Bullock. Please keep his family and his team members in your prayers. pic.twitter.com/kQ8zO0mVGF
— FLHSMV (@FLHSMV) February 5, 2020
WFLA Reporter Said Fallen Officer’s Funeral “Waste Of My Day”
“We can go back…it was a waste of my day,” the Tampa based reporter can be heard saying at the end of the video below. WFLA has the video online but took it down after the reporter’s awful comments were noticed.
This is incredibly disrespectful and completely lacks any compassion for the family of the fallen trooper. Or for his fellow officers who are also grieving the loss.
We live at a time when police are under assault by protesters on a regular basis. Yet it is still shocking to hear someone in the media be so dismissive about the killing of Trooper Bullock.
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WFLA Apologizes
WFLA issued an issue an apology via their website.
Unfortunately, during Friday’s live streaming coverage of the funeral procession honoring fallen FHP Trooper Joseph Bullock, one of our reporters became frustrated when he couldn’t locate the procession in a timely fashion after our helicopter required refueling to continue coverage.
After landing and refueling, we had missed some of the procession and our photographer made a comment expressing his frustration. The comment was not meant to be disrespectful to the trooper, his family, the law enforcement community or to viewers who may have been watching our streaming coverage of the procession.
We have spoken to the FHP and expressed our apologies for any misunderstanding. We want to apologize to our streaming audience, as well.
Bullock served in the Florida State Highway Patrol for 19 years. He left the Air Force in 1999 after serving as a senior airman. This fallen hero was just recognized as the Trooper of the Month in September 2019. After Bullock heroically pulled a passenger from an overturned, partially submerged van involved in a crash.
The 42-year-old is survived by his parents and two sisters.
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