Tennessee license plates to honor fallen officers officially launch

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — To honor fallen officers, Tennesseans can now officially order “Honoring the Fallen” specialty license plates.

The woman behind the initiative lost her husband in the line of duty nearly 30 years ago.

“My husband was a police officer in Roseville, California, and it was a hostage situation, and he was shot and killed,” Liz White-Dibb said.

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At the time, White-Dibb had a four-year-old son, with a daughter on the way. “I vowed at that time that I would never ever let Mark to be forgotten.”

Her promise turned into a project. For years she’s been working to create the “Honoring the Fallen” license plates. In 2022, legislation was passed to make specialty license plates possible.

“The plates that we have been trying to get on the road ‘Honoring the Fallen,’ they have finally been released,” White-Dibb said.

One thousand orders later, part of the proceeds are going to the Middle and East Tennessee Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS).

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The chapter helps support families who lost a loved one in the line of duty, such as attending National Police Week in Washington, D.C.

“It’s about bringing awareness and this is all about honoring the fallen and those families,” White-Dibb said.

White-Dibb has attended National Police Week for many years, and she’s preparing to honor her husband next year on the 30th anniversary. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but there are some really dark years, but any light we shed on this in supporting these families, it means a lot to us. It really does.”

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If you would like to purchase an “Honoring the Fallen” specialty license plate, click here. You can also request them at your county clerk’s office.

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