Memorial service honors the brave men and women who lost their lives serving and protecting their community

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Law enforcement officers in Mississippi who’ve lost their lives while serving in the line of duty were honored on Tuesday.

During a Fallen Officers Memorial Service, dozens of people and officers poured into the Capital City, showing their respects to these brave men and women.

Multiple agencies from all throughout the state were on to be a part of the ceremony.

Ten names were added to a memorial wall, paying tribute to the officers.

Those added include the following:

Although these officers are no longer with us, their dedication and service will never be forgotten.

“It is truly the job that we need to continue to rally around and support because again, all of our law enforcement, those that we’ve lost, and those that are still here protecting us, are truly heroes,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “Heroes, and we should always be mindful of that.”

“It’s so many people on this wall that I know... that I worked with. One of them mentored me, and that’s Sheriff Vance,” said Columbus Police Chief Joseph Daughtry. “It’s a very memorial kind of somber day, but I think of all goodness and all the things that he did to make me to where I am, to help me to get to where I am. When I start getting emotional, I start thinking about how I can hear him saying, ‘You better not mess this up,’ so I try to stay happy.”

“It’s in moments, particularly when we know those that gave the ultimate sacrifice, that you realize the effect that it has on the family,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “Today, I want to thank all of the family members of law enforcement for the sacrifices that you make to support your loved ones in that endeavor.”

“Together, the biggest gift that we can do for our law enforcement now is to continue to honor those, but also to stand strong and united behind our law enforcement in every branch,” said Fitch. “As everyone works together, now that we are supporting them on every step on their journey of protection for all of us.”

Attorney General Lynn Fitch, the Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association, and the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police hosted the service.

This year marks the 13th year the memorial has taken place.

Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.

Copyright 2023 WLBT. All rights reserved.