Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Posted by: kwflatbed

By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times
SEATTLE, Wash — The day Seattle police Officer Tom Springer was picked for the department's motorcycle squad was one of the best of his life.
Officer Springer had been a motorcycle enthusiast as long as his family could remember. He even planned to spend his retirement motoring around the country on his Honda Goldwing. But on Monday (Aug. 6), the 57-year-old Federal Way man was killed in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 80, about 37 miles west of Laramie, Wyo.
He would have celebrated his 23rd anniversary with the Seattle Police Department on Tuesday.
Officer Springer was heading home from a reunion of Vietnam veterans in Colorado when his Goldwing drifted off the road and struck four posts on the shoulder, according to authorities. The motorcycle then flipped over and Officer Springer was thrown off, said Wyoming Highway Patrol Sgt. Stephen Townsend.
Officer Springer, who was wearing a helmet, died at the scene, Townsend said. The highway patrol is still investigating what caused the crash.
Eileen Springer, his wife of 32 years, said her husband had been ill during the trip and was diagnosed with altitude sickness. His family said they tried to persuade him to fly back and ship the bike home.
"Tom had a love for motorcycles. It went back 33 years," she said. "It started out with a dirt bike; then he had the dreams to be on the police motorcycle team."
After serving as a military police canine handler with the Army in Vietnam, Officer Springer returned home to Southern California with the goal of becoming a police officer. But he couldn't find a job and worked nights at a door-knob factory. It was there that he met his future wife.
Officer Springer eventually took a job as a security officer for Amtrak.
When Amtrak offered a job transfer in 1979, the Springers moved to Federal Way. He was hired as a reserve officer at the Sultan Police Department and then left to become a reserve officer with Seattle police. He joined the department full time in 1984.
"That [police work] was in his blood," Eileen Springer said. "His uncle was a police officer in Los Angeles."
Officer Springer worked as a patrolman in the department's South Precinct before joining the traffic squad. His dream job as a motorcycle officer lasted only three years — it was cut short after an accident left him with severe injuries, his wife said.
When he returned to work after 15 months of recovery he rejoined the traffic squad, but this time in a police car.
Seattle police Asst. Chief Nick Metz said he met Officer Springer about 20 years ago while they both worked at the South Precinct.
"He did his job quietly and professionally," Metz said. "He had a real fondness for motorcycles. I remember how excited he was when he got that dream job of his."
In recent years, Officer Springer's big push was for traffic safety in school-crossing zones.
"He loved working school zones and he didn't give anybody any leeway in school zones," his wife said.
In addition to his wife, Officer Springer is survived by his children, Amy Springer, 26, of Tacoma; Kym Springer, 25, of Federal Way; and Andy Springer, 22, of Federal Way.
He is also survived by his mother, Shirley Springer of Montclair, Calif.; sister Judy Cleri of Chino Hills, Calif.; and brothers Steven Springer of Huntington Beach, Calif., and Craig Springer of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. He was preceded in death by his father, Leonard Springer.
Funeral arrangements are pending.

Wire Services

---

vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser