Fallen law enforcement officers remembered at annual memorial service

Law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty were remembered Tuesday during a ceremony held in their honor.

The annual memorial service remembers more than 21,000 individuals from across the nation since the late 1700s. It was held in the courtyard of the Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services headquarters in North Cornwall Township on a brilliantly sunny yet crisp day. 

Lebanon city police chief Eric Sims served as master of ceremonies for the event, which is conducted alternately by city and county officials.

“We come together to remember and honor police officers who lost their lives while protecting and serving our community. We honor them not only today and throughout this week, but always,” Sims said.

“This week, hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country will meet and remember. Love and honor. Respect and acknowledge those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Police Memorial Day is a time to think about their courage and the risks they took to keep others safe. Those officers, just like all of them you see today, chose and choose to serve their communities, even when it meant – and means – facing danger.”

Sims also honored individuals who have connections to officers whose End of Watch happened while they were still in service to the community. 

“We also remember the families, the friends and coworkers they left behind. Their loss is deeply felt and today and every day we stand with them. As we begin, let’s take a moment to reflect, show our respect and remember those who gave their lives in the service of others,” he added. 

Pastor Dean Cover offered an invocation at the morning ceremony.

“Almighty God, we come today to honor and to remember those in law enforcement, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We thank you for their service and their dedication to protecting and keeping us safe,” Cover said. “We thank you for the courage they show in the face of danger. We honor their sacrifice. May our prayers bring comfort to their families knowing that their loved one’s legacy and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

Both Lebanon County Commissioner Mike Kuhn and Lebanon city Mayor Sherry Capello read proclamations issued by their offices.

Both noted that 2026 National Police Week runs from May 10 to 16, with Friday, May 15, designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day. That commemoration was established by an act of Congress to pay special recognition to law enforcement officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.

“Law enforcement agencies of Lebanon County play an essential role in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the county and whereas it is important that all citizens know and understand the problems, duties and responsibilities of their police department and that members of our police department recognized their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, by protecting them against violence or disorder, by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression or intimidation,” Kuhn read.

Capello noted that 24,500 law enforcement officers have died since 1786 in the United States, including seven in Lebanon County.

“We pay tribute to the Lebanon County law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty. We honor their memory and sacrifice and pay homage to their legacy of excellence and devotion to duty,” Capello read from the proclamation.

Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf highlighted the expectations put on officers by society.

“To our law enforcement, your community thanks you for being the dividing line between peace and violence, between safety and fear, and between the good and the evil. It takes courage to sign up for police work and to be a cop today,” she said. “Your job is different. The expectations society puts upon you are different. Each of you every day makes a choice, a daily commitment to public service.” 

During a short keynote address, Sims read the names of those who died in the line of duty or were receiving special recognition. He also focused on the memorial symbolism surrounding the passing of a fallen officer.

“When an officer dies in the line of duty, the impact is felt widely in the community. To symbolize that loss, we wear a black ribbon on our badges to symbolize that the law enforcement community is in mourning. Per nationally recognized protocol, the agency directly affected by the loss wears the ribbon for 30 days while neighboring agencies wear the ribbon until the day of the officer’s funeral,” Sims said.

He noted that bagpipes would be played later in the ceremony. 

“America first heard the soulful sound of bagpipes 150 years ago when the Scottish and Irish immigrants brought their instruments to this country. The bagpipes are a centuries-old transition of Celtic people. Therefore, it stood to reason that when one of their own was killed in the line of duty, bagpipes were played at the funeral,” Sims said. “The haunting tones provided a comforting touch of home. The same is true today. The sound of bagpipe music at a funeral of a fallen first responder often produces a flood of emotion and remembrance. Today, bagpipes are a part of many funerals for the men and women of law enforcement who died in the line of duty.”

There’s also symbolism with the riderless horse, an officer’s boots, and 21-gun salute. 

“The riderless horse, this emotional visual symbol, signifies the rider not returning. It originates from the times when the horse was the primary means of transportation. The boots are reversed in the stirrup symbolizing the missing rider. This symbol can be used in both military and police funerals, and in President Abraham Lincoln’s funeral procession. The 21-gun salute, commonly recognized by many nations, is the highest honor rendered,” Sims said. “The firing of three volleys, according to ancient belief, will scare away evil spirits. This ceremony was modernized in a 21-gun salute in the United States during the Civil War, where the sounding of the gun signified the time to clear the battlefield of the dead.”

He spoke of the significance of “Taps” and the folding of the American flag at a funeral service for fallen soldiers and law enforcement officers.

“’Taps’ were first sounded at night, in July 1862, during the Civil War. The words were put with the music, but few know them. The words to this bugle call include ‘go to sleep, peaceful sleep,’” Sims said. “It was part of the military funerals in 1891. His notes are played to honor the fallen officers in a paramilitary occupation. The folding of the American flag shows commitment to the country. The casket of the fallen officer is covered with the American flag. The flag symbolizes the service of the deceased, not to just the United States of America, but also to the community where officers served.”

The ceremony concluded with the playing of “Taps” and then the gospel standard “Amazing Grace,” with the bagpiper playing the melody while slowly walking away from the ceremonial site and into the distance.