Local, state and federal law enforcement officials laid to rest another murdered Philadelphia police officer Monday.
Officer Moses Walker Jr., was eulogized by Mayor Michael Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and others during a tearful, dignified, and at times, angry going home ceremony held at Deliverance Evangelistic Church. During his remarks, Mayor Michael Nutter used the words of the popular John Lennon song, “Imagine,” to segue into his more caustic remarks regarding the violence that dominates in some communities in the city.
“I like the Ray Charles version best,” Nutter said. “Imagine all the people, living life in peace, you may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one. Imagine a peaceful Philadelphia, where people take responsibility for themselves, their families and their neighbors. I want you to imagine a safer city; we can have one. A city where children can play in the streets, working people go to work, seniors enjoy their lives. We can make that happen.
“I’m angry, I’m very angry that someone would kill Moses Walker. I’m very angry about this. I want to thank our citizens and our men and women in law enforcement that helped track down these killers, because that’s what they do. Whether it’s Moses Walker or any of the other people who are shot, stabbed, robbed or beaten up, we track down those responsible and we catch them. We catch almost all of them; I don’t know why people do this — it’s pretty stupid.
“But I read the Good Book; it tells me, ‘Vengeance is mine saith the Lord’ but while these two are in custody here on this earth, their butts are mine. I’m sick of the ignorance and I’m sick of the violence, sick of the deaths and disruption. I’m sick of it! I’ve had enough!”
Moses Walker entered the Philadelphia Police Academy in March 1993. In August of that year, he was assigned to foot patrol in Center City. After walking the beat in Center City for several months, he was assigned to the 23rd District on March 31, 1994. Moses found a home patrolling the streets of North Central for the next 18 years. By all accounts he was known by both his fellow officers and the residents he served as a courteous, polite and humble man. He was shot to death early Saturday morning, Aug. 18.
Walker was an active member of the Deliverance Evangelist Church and served as a deacon. He was known as an optimistic man. He is the 10th Philadelphia Police officer to die in the line of duty since Officer Gary Skerski was shot to death on May 8, 2008. Officers William Barclay, Charles Cassidy, Stephen Liczbinski, Isabel Nazario, Patrick McDonald, Timothy Simpson, John Pawlowski, and most recently, Brian Lorenzo, all fell in the line of duty.
Officer Moses Walker was killed just a few blocks from the station house. He was a 19-year veteran of the force — just a year away from retirement.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said he had met Walker on several occasions before his death. He always had something positive to say, Ramsey said.
“Officer Walker was a faithful minister, son, brother and police officer — one that was taken from us far too soon,” said Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey. “He finished his tour of duty in the 22nd District as the turnkey, as we call it. That’s the person charged with the safety of people taken into our custody. Not everyone in our custody is happy to be there, and it takes a great deal of patience and skill — and Moses had that. During the vigil on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, two young men came up — who had recently been in custody at the 22nd District, and they were paying their respects because he respected them. I don’t have the answers as to why Moses Walker was killed. None of it makes sense to me. What does make sense to me are the men and women of law enforcement you see here today. In spite of the fact that it never seems to end, they know they make a difference. “
Police officer Moses Walker Jr. was buried at Fernwood Cemetery in Lansdowne, Delaware County.
