Police Officer Memorial Speech

Galveston Police Memorial Foundation Ceremony, May 12, 2003

by Judge Susan Criss

We gather here at this annual ceremony to remember and honor the officers whose names appear on the walls of this monument and to express our gratitude to their families for their sacrifices.

These candle light vigils/ceremonies are held in communities all across this country to pay tribute to police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. Colors are present. Riderless horses march. Wreaths are laid. Candles are lit. Speeches are made. Formal dress uniforms are worn. Black bands appear across badges. And a lone bugle sounds out Taps.
There are now monuments with the names of officers killed in the line of duty in our nation and state capitals. And for several years here in Galveston we have had a monument with the names of Galveston Police Officers who died while protecting and serving their communities. The reason this ceremony is held with all the surrounding pomp and circumstance is written on the face of the monument here. Lest We Forget. We honor their memories by remembering why their names are written on the wall. We gather to remember the sacrifices these officers and their families made to protect the rest of us.

There is a song that says All gave some. Some gave All. This ceremony is to honor those who gave all. Those who gave their lives in the line of duty are heroes. They are heroes not only because of how they died but because of how they lived. The courage shown during those last few moments of their lives was not an unusual event but a daily one.

Each one of you who wear that badge show that same courage every day that you go to work and then also sometimes when you only thought that you were going to be off duty. These officers were just like you in that regard. That should not be forgotten. You may put yourselves in danger a thousand time and come out unscathed or just once and not come home. You never know in advance how these things will turn out.

This profession draws persons with strong personalities. In any organization made of strong personalities there are bound to be personal disagreements and conflicts. You do not always agree with each other on how the department should be run. You disagree on who should get what assignments and who should get what promotions. You disagree on how to proceed with investigations. You get ion each other's nerves sometimes. You do not always get along with each other but when any one of you get a call that "an officer is down" you do not stop to find out who that officer is before you respond. You respond and you respond in ways that instantly put you own lives in danger. You also respond the same way for citizens in distress and even for known criminals.

No greater love than this to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:13
I will never forget Dana Williams standing at the podium at Keith Trussell's funeral telling you his fellow officers that he loves you. He wanted to be sure you knew that. Whether you realize it or not you all express you love for your fellow officer every time you rust to their aid and put yourselves in danger in the process. You also express your love of your community in the same way.

We should never forget that Some Gave All. We should also remember that All Gave Some every day they wore a badge. The ones who gave all used to be the ones who gave some until that last day.

Many of you have suffered physical injuries in the line of duty. You get hurt in vehicular accidents and altercations. Sometimes in the injuries aren't to your bodies but to your emotional health and even to your souls.

You are an eyewitness to man's inhumanity to man. You get a close up view of just how evil some people can be. As tough as I know many of you are, I know that there is not one of you who is not deeply affected by working on a case where a child had been raped or killed. Working such a case while maintaining a professional demeanor takes courage and a commitment to the oath to protect and serve. But it does take a toll on you.

I have seen you fight for justice both in preparing your cases for court and in participating in the court process. I wish I could tell you that justice is achieved every time it is sought. I do believe in our system of justice. But I know that you have sometimes left the courthouse disappointed. Yet you make the next call and do you job. You pick up the next complaint and you do your job. You continue to seek justice. That also takes courage and a commitment to the oath to protect and serve and it also takes a toll on you.

Every officer whose appears on that monument had that same courage and a commitment to the oath to protect and serve. I only knew one of them but I am certain that all of those officers would agree on one thing. Each would like to be the last name of the wall.

This year we should be thankful and we should celebrate that we did not have to add the names of Jerry Robert or Clemente Garcia. We should celebrate every year that we do not have to add any names to the monument. It is not from lack of courage or commitment to the oath to protect and serve that we have not had to add any more names but by the grace of God.

I want to close by reading a short poem.

" The Monument"

by Sgt. George Hann, L.A.P.D. (Retired)

I never dreamed it would be me
My Name for all Eternity
Recorded here at this hallowed place
Alas, my name, no more my face
In the line of duty I hear them say
My family now the price will pay
My folded Flag Stained with their tears
We only had those few short years
The badge no longer on my chest
I sleep now in eternal rest
My sword I pass to those behind
And pray they keep this thought in mind
I never dreamed it would be me
And with heavy heart and bended knee
I ask for all here from the past
Dear God, let my name by the last
May the last name of the wall remain the last name on the wall.

Thank you all for all you do. God bless you and keep you safe.