To remember fallen officers

Posted by Press Release on May 8, 2021

In 1962 President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as National Police Week. Every year across this country law enforcement officers, along with their family, friends, and citizens in communities large and small, gather to remember and honor those men and women who have given the “ultimate sacrifice.”

Likewise, each May the members of Chester County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge # 11 gather to celebrate and honor Chester County’s nine fallen officers, who in the service and protection of their communities have paid the highest price for freedom and safety, with their lives.

The Memorial Service takes place annually at Lodge Headquarters located at 218 N. Church St. in West Chester. Included in the service is an honor guard presentation led by local law enforcement officers, a pipe band performance, guest speakers, a rifle salute, and playing of Taps culminating with the Roll Call of Heroes, which is the reading of the names and “end of watch” dates. These nine heroes span a wide time frame from Benjamin F. Irey, a Sheriff who was struck by a train in 1887 serving court papers, to Parkesburg Officer Douglas H. Pyle, who died in a motorcycle crash on the way back from a training program in 1988.

In 2020, many memorial services were canceled due to Coronavirus, and sadly in 2021, many communities still find themselves pivoting to honor their fallen officers in other ways. Last year, while many of us found ourselves staying at home, social distancing, wearing masks and homeschooling our children, essential workers in grocery stores, healthcare, and especially our law enforcement officers remained on the front line.

Law enforcement officers across this nation continued to go out and do their job, much as they do outside of a pandemic, missing life events and holidays with family and friends, to risk their lives for the safety and protection of others. In 2020 alone, 362 officers died in the line of duty, 232 of those deaths were attributed to Covid19, while 45 were due to gunfire. Pennsylvania lost 12 officers last year, 8 of whom succumbed to Covid19. So far in 2021, there have been 119 line-of-duty deaths with 63 from Covid19 and 19 due to gunfire. (Statistics provided by www.odmp.org.)

While Chester County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #11 will be canceling its public memorial service again this year, rest assured its members will be remembering their fallen brothers and honoring their sacrifice. You can view the list of the fallen at www.chestercountyfop.org or Chester County Lodge #11’s Facebook page, where you can also make a contribution to the lodge in their memory. As always, you can honor the living, by recognizing and thanking a law enforcement officer for their service during Police Week and praying for them daily.