When he stands at the location where Gainesville Police Lt. Corey Dahlem was hit by a drunken driver two years ago today, Capt. Bart Knowles doesn't think about Dahlem's death.
Instead, Knowles said he thinks about campfires, playing the guitar and occasionally having a beer or two with his old neighbor and coworker.
"When I come here, that's what I reflect upon, not what has happened here," Knowles said. "I think about the good things, not the police stuff."
Officers held candles close to their hearts to protect the flame from going out as about 150 family members, friends and coworkers gathered to remember Dahlem at a candlelight vigil Thursday night.
The vigil took place at 1700 W. University Ave., where the GPD veteran of 22 years was struck by a speeding pickup truck on April 3, 2007. Following the UF men's basketball team's win in the national championship game, Dahlem was crossing the street at 2:10 a.m. when the driver of the truck illegally turned and ignored police signaling him to stop.
"It's not much of a celebration when we lose one of our own," Capt. Ed Book said of the basketball team's win. "If we have one tragedy, the whole event is a failure."
However, good things do come out of every bad situation, Book said.
"Corey would appreciate the fact that we are safer and more efficient," he said.
GPD Chief Norman Botsford said Dahlem was like a father to the younger officers in the department.
"Everyone that worked there liked him," he said. "Which is not always true of authority figures."
Since Dahlem's death, Botsford said the department has worked on DUI education and prevention.
"More people are killed by drivers who are under the influence than any other criminal act," he said.
Lt. Keith Kameg said the vigil highlights how senseless Dahlem's death was.
"This is not only a testament to a good police officer, but a well-liked man in the office," Kameg said, adding that he used to live across the street from Dahlem.
On the morning of a UF versus Florida State University game, Kameg said he walked out of his front door to find that Dahlem, an avid FSU fan and prankster, shrink-wrapped his entire house and car in garnet and gold.
At the vigil, Lt. Scott Meffen expressed his love for Dahlem to his wife Salley and their two children Brandon and Katie.
"Not a day goes by that I don't drive by and look at the memorial," he said speaking slowly. "He's right here in my heart."
