The 3rd annual Pima County Regional Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony (to honor fallen officers) will be held tomorrow May 6th, at the Tucson Convention Center’s grand ballroom at 9 a.m. (260 S. Church). U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis Burke will be the keynote speaker. The Master Of Ceremonies will be Tucson resident and 17th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Richard Carmona.
Photos and bios of fallen officers (since 1878) will be displayed around the room, and on large screens with their “end of watch” date listed. 42 regional officers have fallen in the line of duty since then, but fortunately none in 2009. This is a very moving ceremony to give law enforcement officers, families of the fallen officers, and the public the “opportunity to remember and recognize the sacrifices made by these heroes.” The saddest moment of this ceremony is when “taps” is played.
One can only admire these law enforcement men/women who serve to protect our society, and have to give the ultimate sacrifice of their life in the line of duty. My uncle Harold Sugiyama back home in Hawaii was the Captain of his police department, but he lived to 90, unlike these fallen officers, many of whom died in their thirties.
All regional law enforcement agencies are represented at this memorial service in uniform:
Tucson Police Dept., Pima County Sheriff’s Dept. (PCSD), U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, National Park Service, Arizona Dept. of Public Safety, Tohono O’odham Police, South Tucson Police, U of A Police, U.S. Immigration & Customs Service, Drug Enforcement Administration.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact PCSD Public Information Officer Deputy Jason Ogan at 520-351-3121.
KUAT Channel 6 video (58 minutes) of this event is online at: http://ondemand.azpm.org/ondemand-home/video-segment/2010/5/10/949-law-enforcement-memorial/