Photos courtesy of Apopka Police Department
Key Points
Editor’s note: Three members of the Apopka Police Department shared their memories of Sept. 11, 2001, in The Apopka Chief‘s 9/11 special section. Read their stories below.
William Bryant, Communications Manager
Began at APD in 2000
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I had just returned home from working an overnight shift when I received a phone call from a friend telling me to turn on the TV. I turned on the news and saw the first tower billowing smoke. At the time, it was unclear exactly what had happened.
As I watched the coverage, the second tower was struck, and it became clear that our nation was under attack. I returned to work that evening, and the impact of what had occurred was immediately evident, not only among my coworkers, but also in the fears and concerns expressed through the 9-1-1 calls from the citizens of the communities we served. Public safety personnel and the public alike were struggling with feelings of shock, disbelief, fear, and anger as we tried to comprehend what had happened.
The most memorable and encouraging thing in the days and weeks that followed was the sense of national pride and unity that emerged. Political and social differences seemed to be set aside as Americans came together to support one another. Communities came together, supporting each other, public safety personnel, and those directly affected by the attacks. I will never forget the sense of community, patriotism, and solidarity that could be felt and seen throughout the nation as we faced the aftermath of Sept. 11. For a brief time, Americans seemed to be reminded of what united us rather than what divided us.
Sgt. Daniel Colley, Police Officer
Began at APD in 1999
I will never forget Sept. 11, 2001, and how it changed my perspective as a police officer. I was off duty that morning when my supervisor called and told me that we were under attack. At first, I thought he was joking. Then I turned on the television and watched in disbelief as the second plane struck the South Tower.
The fear was immediate. Being a police officer in Central Florida, so close to Disney, there was a tremendous sense of uncertainty. We did not know what was happening, who might be targeted next, or whether the attackers possessed weapons capable of reaching our community.
From that day forward, I found myself dealing with citizens with a little more compassion and understanding. 9/11 reminded me that the badge did not make us separate from the people we served. We were all vulnerable. It was no longer simply “us against them.” We were all victims, and we were all in this together.
Lt. Carol McMaster, Police Officer
Began at APD in 1997
I will never forget where I was on the morning of 9/11. I was at ORMC waiting to speak with a crime victim who had undergone emergency surgery. I was watching the news on the television while waiting and saw the plane fly into the second tower. I remember thinking to myself: “This cannot really be happening!” In the days following the event, we responded to many reports of suspicious packages, suspicious people, and provided extra security of our water and power plants. With Disney in our backyard, the thought of an event locally was always on our minds.
In the days to follow, people were verbally thanking us for our service, paying for our meals at restaurants and extremely supportive of law enforcement and firefighters. We saw a large increase of people flying the American flag on their houses, in their yards and on their cars. The “United We Stand” slogan was posted everywhere. It was a great time to be an American!
