Congressman John Curtis honors Officer Shinners on house floor
On January 8, Utah Congressman John Curtis spoke on the U.S. House floor, honoring fallen Master Officer Joseph Shinners of the Provo Police Department. A Springville resident, Officer Shinners passed away in the line of duty on Saturday night.
"Mr. Speaker, my heart aches every time an officer is killed in the line of duty but this one is personal,” said Curtis. “When Joseph Shinners made the decision to work for Provo PD, I was his mayor. In a real way, I feel a burden for his training, his work at Provo and his safety. I am deeply saddened by this terrible news. As I stand here on the floor of the House of Representatives, I speak for the entire Provo community when I say that Officer Shinners is a true hero. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect us and we owe him and his family our deepest gratitude."
Curtis said that during his three years of service on the Provo Police Department, Officer Shinners worked mostly in Provo’s thriving downtown and on the SWAT team. He also served on bicycle patrol and as a field training officer. Officer Shinners leaves behind his wife Kaylyn and a 1-year-old son. His brother is a policeman and his father, a retired fire captain. Curtis said, " Our brave police men and women face serious potential danger each time they say goodbye to their families and leave their homes to go on patrol, and they know that there is a possibility that it could be their final goodbye. I take this moment to express my sincere appreciation to all of our nations police officers and first responders but today especially to those of Provo City. We support you and love you. Thank you for your service."