Today we bury our great friend, Dave

Dave Joyce is the epitome of "What a Great Guy". It would be difficult, it not impossible, to find someone (other than the hundreds of criminals he put away) that would have a bad word to say about Dave, or about his work ethic. Dave was prodigious in both scope and in depth of knowledge, within whatever attracted his keen, perceptive, and often smart-assed, attention.

If you were lucky enough to talk to Dave in his duties as a Detective-Sergeant with the Jennings Police Department, Jennings Police Department-ATF Joint Task Force, or Major Case Squad, you soon learned to lean in and listen to this unassuming, soft spoken man. His knowledge was referred to as "encyclopedic", and with good reason. Sure enough, if you followed a direction that Dave might provide, it generally led in the right direction, the right person, and a good conviction.

If you were even luckier to know and talk to Dave personally, you learned even quicker to lean in close and listen to this, unassuming, soft-spoken, incredibly intelligent, deep, big-hearted man.

The policeman stood and faced his God, which must always come to pass. He hoped his shoes were shining just as brightly as his brass.

"Step forward now, policeman. How shall I deal with you? Have you always turned the other cheek? To my church have you been true?"

The policeman squared his shoulders and said, "No, Lord. I guess I ain't. Because those who carry badges can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays, and at times my talk was rough... and sometimes I've been violent because the streets are awful tough.

But I never took a penny that wasn't mine to keep... though I worked a lot of overtime when the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help, though at times I shook with fear. And sometimes, God, forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place among people here. They never wanted me around except to calm their fear.

If you've a place for me here, Lord, it needn't be so grand. I never expected or had too much. But if you don't... I'll understand."

There was silence all around the throne where the saints had often trod, ans the policeman waited quietly for the judgement of his God.

"Step forward now, policeman. You've borne your burdens well. Come walk a beat on heaven's streets. You've done your time in hell."