"This week's guest author for my blog is Police Officer Deanna Reilly, a 28-year veteran of MPD and a charter member of our Honor Guard. Officer Reilly and our Honor Guard have served this Department with distinction and we are proud to have this unit represent the honor and solemnity of what it means to "serve." Their professional decorum is always a welcome addition to our gatherings as members of a police "family."
Dum spiro, spero. (As I breathe, I hope)
Those in Law Enforcement know that the future is not promised. I often think of the phrase; "Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present." We know that every day we serve our streets could be our last. We see our community member's lives altered/ended in a blink of an eye. We must cherish the moments we have now, plan for the future and hope.
Every 53 hours .... A statistic discussed about how often a police officer is killed in the line of duty in the United States. 2016 saw a 10% increase in officer fatalities from the prior year and 2017 is already showing a 32% increase from last year. In 2016, Wisconsin saw three officer fatalities, Rusk County Deputy Glaze, Jr.; Town of Salem Public Safety Officer Venura and Ozaukee County Deputy Hartwig. This year already, Wisconsin has had two officer fatalities, Everest Metro Detective Weiland and Wisconsin State Patrol Trooper Borostowski. These officers dedicated their lives to their communities, and they will have their names inscribed on the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial.
President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. This year police week is May 14th – May 20th, a time to reflect on lives taken too soon, honor the service they have given, and share with the surviving families and friends that their loved ones are not forgotten.
As part of Police Week, our department has several officers bicycling over 1,200 miles from Georgia arriving at the National Mall for the candlelight vigil. Each rider is riding in memory and honor of an officer that lost their life in the line of duty. Our Honor Guard will be representing our department at the Memorial Ceremony held in a few weeks.
On May 19th, 2017, the 27th Annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will take place on the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial site, located on the State Capitol Grounds, at the corner of Pinckney and Mifflin Sreets. The ceremony starts at noon with a procession of squad cars coming from Olin Park Pavilion prior to the ceremony. There will be officers from all over the State paying their respect for those fallen officers. Please stop by and reflect with us as we honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
