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Remembering the fallen
Jacksonville Sheriff John Rutherford and the Sheriff’s Office paid homage to fallen officers today at a morning memorial service. In particular, they remembered the latest local law enforcement officer to fall, Officer Scott Eric Bell. Officer Bell was killed on Friday, October 12, 2007 when a vehicle being operated by an intoxicated driver pulled out in front of his patrol car. He was returning from a call on Heckscher Drive when a van traveling on New Berlin Road collided with his cruiser. Officer Bell's vehicle spun out of control and hit a power pole and burst into flames. Officer Bell had served with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for 7 years. Before that he was a reserve officer, part of a group of trained civilians who volunteer to assist police. The hour long ceremony paid tribute to comrades who were remembered with the haunting sounds of the traditional last roll call. As each fallen officer’s name is called a poignant "absent" rings out from a fellow officer. The somber and emotional ceremony was heightened by the sound of bagpipes, a rifle volley, and taps. Bradford County RemembersA joint memorial service held by the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Starke Police Department remembered the county’s fallen officers with solemn dignity and respect. The annual memorial service is rotated between the three departments and was hosted this year by the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office on May 1. The tri-department ceremony is traditionally held the week before the state memorial to allow officers and the families of local fallen officers the opportunity to attend both services. Deputy Sheriff Renee Danell Azure who was killed on August 6, 2002 in an automobile accident while responding to a call was the latest local officer killed in the line of duty. Police Memorial Ceremony Planned in Clay CountyOn Thursday, May 8th at 7pm at the Ridgeview High School Cafetorium our agency will hold its annual Police Memorial Week ceremony. Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler will be joined by numerous CCSO employees, surviving family members, and special guests in recognizing the Clay County Sheriff's Office deputies who died in the line of duty through the years. They are Sgt. Eddie Hayes, Deputy Wilson Walker, Auxiliary Deputy Arthur Caton, Sgt. Richard Watkins, Sheriff Charles Wilson, Sheriff Theodore Cherry and Sheriff Josephus Peeler. In addition to remembering the seven individuals who lost their lives while serving the CCSO, the agency will also recognize those who lost their lives in the line of duty in the State of Florida in 2007 through a drama performance created by RHS students. This is a chance for Clay County to honor all these men and women and to thank them for their sacrifice. A special moment of silence will also take place to honor two CCSO deputies lost in the last year outside the line of duty; Deputy Eddie Gibson and Deputy Dennis Urban. The ceremony is open to the public. Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Plans Thursday ServiceSheriff T.L. "Tommy" Seagraves and the officers of the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office will hold their Police Memorial Week ceremony on Thursday, May 8th at the Nassau County Courthouse. The traditional ceremony will remember those who lost their lives in the service of their community. The service will begin at 6:00 pm. State Memorial Service held MondayA total of 16 law enforcement officers were killed in Florida in 2007, the highest number killed in a single year since the '70s, said James Preston, president of the Florida State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, which has organized a statewide memorial service for 26 years. That memorial service was held Monday at the state Capitol in Tallahassee. Officers from all over the state attended the Capital Courtyard service. The names of the officers killed were read while family members placed red carnations on a map of Florida to mark the area where the officer was from. Crist used the 26th Annual Police Memorial Service to publicly sign an executive order designed to help in tracking down people suspected of killing or seriously wounding officers in the line of duty. The order requires that an alert be broadcast whenever an officer is seriously injured or killed while on the job. The system will work similar to the Amber alerts that are issued for missing children. Information will be broadcasted immediately to the public and will appear on highway message signs when an officer is reported down. Those killed in the line of duty last year: Sergeant Nicholas G. Sottile, Florida Highway Patrol Deputy Sheriff Harold Michael (Mike) Altman, Jackson County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant Corey Dahlem, Gainesville Police Department Lieutenant Delmar Teagan, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Sergeant Karl Strohsal, Longwood Police Department (Volusia County) Sergeant Christopher Reyka, Broward County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Ron Harrison, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Reserve Deputy Joe Bill Galloway, Holmes County Sheriff's Office Police Officer Jose Somohano, Miami-Dade Police Department Police Officer Alfred L. Gordon Sr., Orlando Police Department Officer Scott Eric Bell, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Wildlife Officer Michelle A. Lawless, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Deputy Sheriff Paul Rein, Broward County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff Donta J. Manuel, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff Jonathan D. Wallace, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff Robin Tanner, Monroe County Sheriff's Office |
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