WATCH: Police memorial remembers ‘fallen heroes’
CLEVELAND (WJW) — Police Memorial Week continued on Friday with a memorial service at the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial.
The memorial parade stepped off at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Lakeside Avenue and East 12th Street, with local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies from across the U.S. and Canada. It arrived at the memorial in Fort Huntington Park along Lakeside Avenue at 11:30 a.m. for a service titled “Keeping the Promise to Never Forget Our Fallen Heroes.”
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“We’re here today to show our solidarity for those whose lives were taken by criminal action,” said Cuyahoga County Sheriff Harold Pretel. “The best thing we can do as fellow law enforcement officers is continue their mission and continue our training.”
Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson delivered the keynote address. More than 300 American police officers have died in the line of duty in the last 2 1/2 years, he said — 58 of whom died in the first five months of this year.
“It’s dangerous out there,” he said.
Their average length of service was 12 years, Tomlinson said.
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“They did not succumb to rookie mistakes. Their job is dangerous by description — to serve and protect. To do that, police officers must risk their lives,” he said.
Police Memorial Week “recognizes all law enforcement officers for their dedicated service, and honors those who died in the line of duty serving their communities,” reads a flyer. It continues through Sunday, May 19. For more information, visit the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial Society website.
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