Family and friends of fallen officers gathered in the rain yesterday during the New York State Fair’s annual Law Enforcement Day ceremony. Officers lined up in formation near the Veterans Memorial outside the main entrance to the Horticulture Building. State Police superintendent Steven James says the moments of courage must always be remembered.
“So to the families here today, I hope this memorial serves as a lasting reminder that your loved ones remain part of our law enforcement family and that their service will never be forgotten,” said James.
A total of 17 fallen officers across the state were posthumously honored as their names were read one by one. Onondaga County sheriff Toby Shelley says no local names from his department were on the list. But he says a recent stand-off in Jordan brought the dangerous reality close to home.
“Fortunately, for my office we didn’t lose anybody. But, we almost did a week ago," said Shelley. "When you get the opportunity to see the video on that, you’ll know what I’m talking about.”
Law Enforcement Day at the fair provided free admission to all retired and current law enforcement officers.
