Saturday, May 6, 2006
Contact: Spence Jackson, 573-751-0290
Blunt Offers Condolence to Family Members of Fallen Officers at Memorial Service
JEFFERSON CITY–Gov. Matt Blunt spoke today at the 2006 Law Enforcement Memorial Service honoring the lives and memories of Missouri’s fallen public safety officers. The Missouri Fraternal Order of Police hosted today’s 19th annual ceremony.
During his address, Blunt assured friends and family members who lost loved ones in the line of duty that their sacrifice will never be forgotten.
“The eight lives we remember today are tragic reminders of how dangerous the mission of our public safety officers can be,” Blunt said. “Each name on this roll call list is a name that we will never forget, for their commitment to duty, honor and the protection of their fellow citizens.”
The ceremony was in honor of all law enforcement officers who have given their lives for the protection of Missourians, but especially honoring Missouri’s most recently deceased officers; Patrolman Scott Armstrong of the Bridgeton Police Department, Police Officer Molly Suzanne Bowden of the Columbia Police Department, Police Officer Jesse W. Embrey III of the St. James Police Department, Sergeant William McEntee of the Kirkwood Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troopers Corporal John A. “Jay” Sampietro Jr., Trooper Donald K. “Kevin” Floyd, Sergeant Carl Graham and Trooper Ralph Tatoian.
The year 2005 was particularly tragic for Missouri’s law enforcement community as they led the nation in law enforcement line of duty deaths with eight fallen officers. The Missouri State Highway Patrol was the single law enforcement agency hit the hardest in the country with the loss of four troopers. Including the eight officer deaths last year, there are a total of 646 law enforcement officer deaths in Missouri’s history. The first recorded officer deaths occurred in St. Louis in 1836.
The Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation was started in 1985 as a non-profit fundraising organization to finance the construction of a memorial to fallen law enforcement officers. The memorial was dedicated on June 17, 1994, just three years after the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.
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