Remembering local officers killed in the line of duty

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A large crowd gathered outside Wichita City Hall on Wednesday to remember and pay tribute to local officers who died in the line of duty.

They were attending the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at the Law Enforcement Memorial at Central and Main. Every May 15 is National Peace Officers Memorial Day. It is the reason flags are being flown at half-staff.

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During the ceremony, officers held the pictures and read the names of all law enforcement officers in Sedgwick County who have died while serving. The first one was in 1871. The most recent was in 2022.

In Memorium

Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan and Mayor Lily Wu drew attention to the brass boots and plaques around the memorial statue.

“Each name engraved on this memorial and each pair of boots cast in bronze tells a story of courage and service and commitment,” Sullivan said. “These officers and deputies stepped forward to serve our community, to uphold justice and to protect the innocent at any cost. They were fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends. Each of them cherished and irreplaceable.”

“Each of the names on the wall behind me are a person who protected the residents of Wichita and Sedgwick County,” Wu said. “Each of those people were aware of the risk and chose to serve. It’s a risk that remains present today for the members of our law enforcement community today, and still, they put on that uniform and that badge week after week. “The amount of courage and bravery is truly astronomical.”

Sheriff Jeff Easter understands what the day means for the families of the fallen. His brother, Deputy Kevin Easter, was shot and killed in 1996.

“I know personally that this day brings back the day that your loved one was lost, so it’s a difficult day for all of us, and it’s also a difficult day for us in law enforcement, remembering those that gave their lives for this community,” Easter said. “It’s a loss the department never gets over, and so know that our thoughts and prayers are with you today.”

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Sullivan said it is a difficult time for law enforcement with many recent deaths.

“We’re seeing an unprecedented number of law enforcement officers being attacked, shot,” he said. “We lost four officers just recently in Charlotte. Past weekend, we lost an officer in Ohio. So it’s also important to let the active officers know that the community supports them, cares about them, and understands the sacrifice that all too often men and women in law enforcement are forced to make, which is the ultimate sacrifice.”

He said these annual memorials are important for the families.

“When you lose a loved one to an incident, a law enforcement loved one. It just means the world to know that no matter how many years past, their memory is never forgotten, that they’re being recognized every year, and that the families themselves are not being forgotten,” Sullivan said.

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