Burbank police remember slain officer

Friday marked the 10-year anniversary of the slaying of Burbank Police Officer Matthew Pavelka, who was remembered by his fellow officers as a charming 26-year-old who loved being a cop.

In his honor, the Burbank Police Department placed two wreaths at the base of the guardian statue outside the police station Friday morning.

Pavelka was killed after an exchange of gunfire during a routine stop outside the Ramada Inn in Burbank after just 10 months on the force. His partner, Officer Gregory Campbell, was wounded as they approached a parked SUV after suspecting drug activity was taking place.

Both officers were transported to a local hospital for treatment, where Pavelka died during surgery.

Before the killing, Burbank police had not lost one of their own in a shooting since 1920.

Pavelka joined the Burbank force after serving in the Air Force for five years as a military policeman.

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Follow Alene Tchekmedyian on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek.

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