SPRINGFIELD – The annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor law enforcement officers killed in Illinois in the line of duty will be held Thursday, May 5 at 11 a.m. at the Illinois Peace Officer Memorial sculpture on the Illinois State Capitol grounds in Springfield.
“This annual ceremony honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities,” said Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Every man and woman in this difficult and dangerous profession knows the risks they face every time they put on the badge. This memorial service is a testament to those risks and to the selfless courage of the officers who laid down their lives to keep us safe. I hope and pray there will come a day when we don't have more names to add to the list of fallen officers on the memorial. Sadly, I feel this day may never come.”
Two officers killed during 2015 will be recognized during the May 5 ceremony and their names added to the memorial. Deputy Sheriff Craig Whisenand of the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office died August 10, 2015 and Deputy Sheriff Dwight Maness of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department was killed September 14, 2015.
In addition, officers who were confirmed to have died in the line of duty in the past but who had not yet been officially included on the memorial will be recognized. These include Deputy Lamont Reid, St. Clair County Sheriff's Department, who died March 26, 2010; Sergeant Thomas Reed, Paris Police Department, August 14, 1938; Constable Earl Dixon, Mounds Police Department, August 11, 1935; Officer Austin Fitch, Chicago Police Department, November 24, 1914; Officer Bartholomew Cavanaugh, Chicago Police Department, December 15, 1898; and Officer William Feeley, Chicago Police Department, July 31, 1894.
The day's observance will begin with the lineup of squad cars from around the state from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The procession will depart the fairgrounds at 8:30 a.m. and arrive at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 524 E. Lawrence, for a memorial church service at 9:30 a.m. The procession will then travel to the State Capitol for the 11 a.m. ceremony. The ceremony will be held at the Illinois State Library across the street from the Capitol in case of inclement weather.
The Illinois FOP State Lodge is one of the founding organizations of the Illinois Peace Officers Memorial. The other founding organizations include the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois Police Association, Illinois Sheriff's Association, and Police Benevolent and Protective Association. Supporting organizations include Blue Knights of Illinois, Illinois Gold Star Families, and Illinois Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS)
The Illinois Police Officers Memorial Committee was established in 1985. The monument in Springfield bears the names of the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities. Every year on the first Thursday of May, they hold a ceremony to pay tribute to fallen officers and their families. For more information, visit www.illinoispolicememorial.org
The Fraternal Order of Police, founded in 1915, is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. With a proud tradition of officers representing officers, the FOP is the most respected and most recognized police organization in the country. The Illinois FOP, chartered in 1963, is the second largest State Lodge, proudly representing more than 32,000 active duty and retired police officers - more than 10 percent of all FOP members nationwide. Visit www.ilfop.org for more information.
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