HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-2024 Special Resolution Commemorating National Police Week and the National Peace Officers Memorial DaySPECIAL RESOLUTION NO. 01-2024
A SPECIAL RESOLUTION AWARDED BY THE SOUTH BEND
COMMON COUNCIL COMMEMORATING NATIONAL POLICE WEEK
AND THE NATIONAL PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY
G in 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers
Memorial Day, and additionally the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police
Week; and
Off., the women and men of Fraternal Order of Police Lodges number thirty-six (#36) and
number one -hundred and fifty-five (#155), representing the South Bend Police Department and
the St. Joseph County Police Department, will conduct their annual Tribute and Memorial
Service to honor all police officers who have given their lives in the line of duty on May 17,
2024; and
OiLlskt, since the first (1 St) recorded death of a constable in 1786, more than twenty-three
thousand (23,000) law enforcement officers in the United States have made the ultimate sacrifice
and been killed in the line of duty including: fifteen (15) South Bend Police Officers: Oscar
Christenson, Samuel Cooper, Lewis Keller, Hans Brandt, Fred E. Buland, Neil McIntyre, Lloyd
Thompson, Delbert Thompson, Charles E. Farkas, Sr., Howard Wagner, Ronald St. Germain,
Thomas J. DeRue, Sr., Paul R. DeGuch, Scott Lee Severns, Nick Polizzotto and one (1) St.
Joseph County Officer, James W. Mumford; and
although South Bend was fortunate in not suffering any such deaths in recent years, we
should all remember and honor the seven (7) Hoosier law enforcement officers who made the
ultimate sacrifice during 2023 for their community, including Deputy Sheriff Asson Hacker of
the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office, Master Trooper James R. Bailey of the Indiana State
Police, Michael Robert Keel of the Indiana Department of Corrections, Trooper Aaron N. Smith
of the Indiana State Police, Sergeant Heather Glenn of the Tell City Police Department, Deputy
Sheriff John Durm of the Marion County Sheriffs Office, Deputy Sheriff Timothy J. Guyer
Johnson County Sheriffs Office, along with the other one -hundred and thirty (130) law
enforcement officers nationwide who died in the line of duty during 2023; and
although nationally the number of in line of duty law enforcement deaths for 2023
decreased approximately thirty-eight percent (38%) from 2022, the state of Indiana experienced
an increase in deaths from 2022 to 2023; and
our elected officials and our community owe it to the law enforcement officers and their
families to remember and honor the great sacrifices they have made in the name of serving and
protecting our City & County and its residents; and
although we implore whatever powers exist to keep all law enforcement officers safe so
no new names are added to the Memorial in the future, we must never forget or fail to honor all
law enforcement officers who make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf
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Wewon.I. During this National Police Week, we gratefully honor all law enforcement officers
who have given their lives in the line of duty.
QJ�ee&An.I1. May their numbers grow no more.
(nIII. May we never forget.
(reatlanIV. May their families and loved ones find peace.
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Sharon McBride, Council President & 3`d District
Representative
South Bend Common Council
Canneth Lee, 1" District Representative
South Bend Common Council
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Ophelia Goodcn-Rodgers, 2"" District
Representative
South Bend Common Council
Troy Warner, 4' District Representative
South Bend Common Council
Sherry Bolden -Simpson, 5' District Representative
South Bend Common Council
Sheila Niezgodski, 6th District Representative
South Bcnd Common Council
Karen L. White, At -large Council Representative
South Bcnd Common Council
Dr. (liver J. Davis, At -Large Council
Representative South Bcnd Common Council
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Rachel Tomas Morgan, At- Large Council
Representative South Bend Common Council