BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern Law Enforcement Association is funding a crowd-sourcing page with donations going to the family of Kern County Sheriff's Office deputy Phillip Campas who was killed in the line of duty Sunday in Wasco.
Officials at the Kern Law Enforcement Association said coming to work on Monday was hard and if they could sum it up in one word, It was "heavy."
“I'm sure there's a thousand phrases that can really articulate how we feel today," said Jeremy Storar, director for the KLEA. "As I said we're human at the end of the day. And this is a loss like losing a brother. And he died a hero.”
Storar said that fallen Deputy Phillip Campas embodies the model of public service and he left an immense impression in his five years with the department. He said this tragedy was a huge loss for the community with emotions really hitting home for the department's SWAT team.
Storar said the KLEA is a labor union that represents deputies within the sheriff's office and they will do everything to be there for law enforcement both emotionally and financially. This comes as twenty-three KCSO deputies are now on administrative leave as a result of the shooting.
According to the KLEA, "After serving as a United States Marine, Deputy Campas joined the Kern County Sheriff’s Office in 2016. He quickly earned a well-respected reputation having served in a variety of assignments including patrol, recruit training officer, honor guard, SWAT and as a firearms mentor at the range."
The page is through the PORAC Fund-A-Hero Program, which was established to provide a fundraising alternative to other crowdfunding sites by having no advertising or listing fees charged.
