NASSAU BAY, Texas — The loss of police Sgt. Kaila Sullivan has left the tight-knit community of Nassau Bay in shock.
Sullivan, 43, was killed during a traffic stop Tuesday night after being struck by a suspect in a Jeep. It happened as Sullivan assisted in an arrest in the 2000 block of San Sebastian Court.
Sullivan was a 15-year veteran of the department, just two weeks short of her 16th anniversary. She is the first ever officer in the department’s history to be killed in the line of duty.
It is the second time in less than a week that a Houston-area police officer has died in the line of duty.
Nassau Bay Police Chief Tom Cromie described Sullivan as being a guiding factor in the Nassau Bay Police Department, helping mold several of the officers present with him at a press conference Wednesday morning.
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“She was beloved in the community, she was a wonderful mother to a son, took many trips in the summertime, a wonderful person,” the chief said.
Cromie said Sullivan was the epitome what you would want in your police department. He said her blood ran blue.
“She’s a police officer’s officer,” he said. “She’s going to be missed.”
Nassau Bay Mayor Mark Denman described Sullivan’s death as terrible event for their small town and police department.
“PD is family, we’re a small town with 14 officers, we know them by face, by name, they are not like a family, they are family," the mayor said. "Kaila’s loss is a tragedy, but our city will be strong."
When asked about how the loss of Sullivan would affect his department, he had this to say: “The guys behind me are professional, we’re going to remain that way ‘cause that is what Sgt. Sullivan would have wanted, but we’re also human and it’s going to hurt.”
Harris County Precinct 8 Constable’s Office has deployed some units to cover the city for Nassau Bay so their officers can regroup.
The city of Nassau Bay says they have received an extreme showing of support and donations overnight. If you have questions or want to make a donation, call 281-841-4420 or 281-979-2271.
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