Pittsfield Police Honor Nation's Fallen Officers
The Honor Guard honored five officers who were killed in duty while working for the city. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — County law enforcement honored more than 19,000 police officers who were killed in the line of duty, including five from Pittsfield, as part of National Police Week.
The weeklong memorial began in 1962 with a declaration of then President John F. Kennedy. Hundreds of officers from across the country flock to Washington, D.C., each year as names of fallen officers are added to a memorial.
This year, 321 new names will be added, 120 of whom died in the line of duty last year.
Locally, five names are already on that plaque — Capt. Michael Leonard, who died in 1898; Jailer James Fuller, 1901; Secret Service Operative William Craig, 1902; Officer Leo Sullivan, 1956; and Officer Timothy Shepard, 1988. All of them were killed while working in or for the city.
On Tuesday, the Pittsfield Police Department was joined by other county agencies to honor those five as part of the weeklong event. The Police Department's flag was raised to half staff by the Honor Guard.
"The sacrifices that these officers made and those of their survivors, family and colleagues cannot and must not be forgotten," Police Chief Michael Wynn said. "It's important that we hold the memories of the other 19,000 fallen officers close to our hearts to remind us of the risks and chances law enforcement officers taken every day."
Wynn added that with all of the new technology and equipment that have advanced the job, it "still comes down to the individual officers putting themselves in the line of duty."
"As of today, in 2013, 41 American law enforcement officers have already paid the ultimate price. Among them is Officer Sean Collier of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Department, who was targeted and killed by terrorists during last month's events," Wynn said, referring to the event surrounding the Boston Marathon bombings.
Sheriff Thomas Bowler said officers never know if "today is the day" that they do not return to their homes.
"Every day there is the potential that protecting and serving could lead to sacrifice," Bowler said. "It is a burden they bear to give us the safety and peace we sometimes take for granted.
Mayor Daniel Bianchi commemorated the event by reading a proclamation declaring the holiday week.
"I just ask all citizens, if you see an officer this week, thank them for [their] service," Bianchi said after reading the proclamation.
The service also included readings from Detective Kim Bertelli and the department's wives group. The city's five fallen officers had their names called and echoed.
Representatives from multiple local law enforcement agencies were on hand for the ceremony as well as many political leaders.
Tags: law enforcement, memorial, Pittsfield Police, police,
