News 12 at 11 o'clock / Monday, Jan. 30, 2012

AIKEN, S.C. -- The Aiken Department of Public Safety is grieving for a second time in what they say is just 37 days.

Many of the officers don't want to speak of the man who is accused of killing Master Cpl. Sandy Rogers, but after losing two colleagues, they had a lot to say.

Department of Public Safety's Jeff Miles told News 12, "Everybody is just upset, angry, but we'll get through it. We'll get through it together. We have to."

Sgt. Aaron Dowdy said they're still reeling from Officer Scott Richardson's death.

"I think our emotional tanks are empty, but we'll get through it," he said.

Dowdy describes the experience as "reliving this nightmare all over again."

"There's no other way to describe it," he said.

Jeff Miles, who works for the fire division, is feeling the loss of Rogers and Richardson as well.

"We just took off our mourning badges and here we are putting them right back on," Miles said.

Miles remembers seeing Master Cpl. Rogers for the last time.

"That morning, we were getting off, and she came in to change her O2 cylinder because hers was empty. She cut up, joked a little bit, and out the door she went to do her job. Little did we know, it was the last time we'd see her."

Sgt. Dowdy recalls the day, too.

"I was off and got a call from Lt. David Turno," he said. "He told me we had another officer-involved shooting."

After asking Sgt. Dowdy what keeps them going, he responded, "She'd be the first one telling us we got to get up and do our job."

Miles remembers the good times.

"She was the mother of her shift, all the guys will tell you that," he said. "Remember Sandy for the good things. She was a great girl, loved everybody and had a big heart."

Sgt. Dowdy describes her as "a heck of a resource, heck of a street cop and an even better friend."

"We still have a job to do and we'll do it, but we're hurting," he said.

Officers tell us business is going as usual. The department, made up of about 90 sworn officers and around 150 employees, is still handling and responding to calls. They say there is a peer management team designated to working directly with the family and handling arrangements.

The Sheriff's Office and neighboring fire departments will take over Wednesday so that everyone at the department can go to the funeral.

Officers say they have been asked if they will do anything differently after these tragic events, but they simply say right now their focus is on Sandy.