ANOKA, Minn. – (May 18, 2017) – In 2016, 145 officers were killed while serving in the line of duty. Every year during National Police Week, law enforcement agencies around the country honor those who have died, including the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. The event started with the honor guard procession, posting of the colors and a message from Sheriff James Stuart.
“Today we gather because our communities are better places because of their passion and their service. Today we gather because we cannot and will not forget their sacrifices,” Stuart said.
Officers, community members and family members of officers who have died were all in attendance at the memorial. May 15 was designated National Peace Officer Memorial Day in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy.
“The intent of that law? To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to voice our appreciation for all of those who currently serve in the front lines of the battle against crime,” said Aitkin County Sheriff, Scott Turner.
Sheriff James Stuart said that in the past ten years, an officer is killed on average every 63 hours. One of those officers was Shawn Silvera of the Lino Lakes Police Department who was killed in 2005.
“This year we are honoring or brother officer Shawn Silvera of the Lino Lakes Police Department with a squad procession that started at the weigh scales I-35 south of Highway 97 in Lake Drive and Columbus representing a sight where officer Silvera lost his life,” Stuart said.
Silvera’s family and colleagues were there to remember him for who he was, and the life he lived as an officer.
“Officer Silvera was known to be extremely proud to be a peace officer, and had a deep loyalty to serve and protect. Being an officer to him was much more than wearing a badge and carrying a gun,” Stuart said.
Anoka County has had seven officers die while serving. All officers were honored at the event. Sheriff Scott Turner of Aitkin county was the keynote speaker at the event where he shared the story of private investigator Steven Sandberg.
“I’ll never forget that afternoon when we had to bring Steve to St. Paul and how I walked out of the hospital and saw so many squad cars waiting in the parking lot, officers from so many jurisdictions had gathered there with our officers to make that journey with us, to show us that we were not alone and that we would not be alone,” Turner recalled.
The outpour of love and support within the law enforcement was a continued message throughout the event.
“Now I’m pretty confident that I learned more about the law enforcement family and just how we support each other in the days after our tragedy than I did in the 28 years prior to,” Turner said.
Turner highlighted that the loss of these officers reinforced the purpose of service for him and many others.
“We remember our fallen so that we all of us who wear the badge, remember with great clarity just how important our role is in the community we serve.”
