Civic leaders, citizens, fellow law enforcement officers and all who serve the needs of others, welcome to our memorial service today.
When I became a police officer more fifteen years ago, I joined together with men and women who shared my ideals of honor and integrity and who yearned for justice in an imperfect world. I wanted to make my community a better place.
It didn’t take long, however, for me to learn that there is a price to pay for the pursuit of justice: The hours are long. The money is not so good. The work is hard and often thankless.
As I matured, I began to realize that police work is very dangerous and that there are people out there who despise the law so much that they are willing to harm or even kill police officers. Sometimes there is a terrible price to pay for honor and integrity.
Today, we are gathered to honor the memory of ten law enforcement officers who paid that high price. There are ten names engraved on this monument. Ten souls who got up one morning, put on a uniform and went to work, just like police officers do every day. They said hello to their friends, got in their patrol cars for an ordinary day’s work… but they never came home to the people who loved them.
The lives of ten families were changed forever. To those survivors, I want to say, “We weep with you.” We offer our deepest condolences and we promise that we shall avenge the deaths of your loved ones by being the best law enforcement officers we can possibly be.
Like many of you, I know what it is like to lose a brother or sister in uniform. The impact of an officer’s death may be hard to understand for someone who is not a part of police culture. We learn to live with the deaths of friends, but we never truly get over it. The memories live on for years. We still see their faces. We still hear their voices. We still laugh at the funny things they did when they were with us. Then reality sets in.
There are many things that go through my mind whenever I stand before this monument. I am sad that ten good men lost their lives standing up for justice and righteousness. I’m also angry because an attack on a police officer is an attack on all good people everywhere. God forbid that we ever live a society that does not know this truth.
However, we cannot let the ugliness of life or the reality of death deter us from our sworn duty. If we are to honor these officers who have paid the ultimate price, we must be faithful to our mission to rid our society of the evil that brought their passing.
These are trying times for police officers. Crime is increasing. Budgets are being strained. The pressures to perform well are tremendous and sometimes we find ourselves at odds with one another within our own departments. However, let us use this day and the memory of these fallen officers to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood and to set aside the issues that would separate us.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.” No truer words have ever been spoken, and they apply directly to the job that we do every day.
Today let us acknowledge that we are unified in spirit and that we gladly accept the challenge to continue the mission of those who have gone before us. Let us remember that behind each badge beats the heart of a believer who wants to do the right thing. As long as we remain true to our ideals of justice and honor, the deaths of these ten men shall not be in vain.
May God bless police officers everywhere!
Thank you.