TERRE HAUTE —
The pain of losing a comrade remains fresh in the minds and hearts of the Terre Haute Police Department.
On Thursday, the memory of Officer Brent Long and 11 other fallen officers, was uplifted during an annual memorial ceremony in advance of National Police Week.
The solemn ceremony was marked by an honor guard salute and the changing of the American flag outside THPD headquarters. And the event was punctuated by the occasional bark of K-9 Officer Shadow, Long’s work partner who was also injured in the July 11 incident on North Eighth Street in which the 34-year-old officer was killed.
“Brent Long is the latest hero to be added to that list,” Police Chief John Plasse stated after reading the names and circumstances of the death of all 12 officers who have ended their watch on duty for THPD.
In 2011, Plasse said, the nation lost 166 police officers in the line of duty — the most in recent years.
This weekend, a delegation from THPD will travel to Washington, D.C., to attend a national memorial ceremony honoring fallen officers.
Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett encouraged local citizens to pray for current THPD officers and to remember each day officers protect the community. Bennett proclaimed May 13-19 National Police Week in the city.
Meanwhile, the Vigo County Sheriff’s Department has also created a new memorial to respect, honor and remember deputies who have died in the line of duty.
The Vigo County Sheriff Memorial was erected Thursday in the lobby of the Vigo County Jail by a crew from Deer Ridge Woodcraft, who designed and crafted the colorful memorial.
“In the past, we didn’t have any one centralized location to honor our fallen deputies,” Sheriff Greg Ewing said as the parts of the memorial were fastened to the lobby wall. Some individual plaques and signs are located around the county jail property, Ewing said, but a unified memorial is more appropriate.
The memorial will be presented to the public at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Vigo County Jail. In addition to flags made from the wood of a single maple tree, the memorial includes a carved and steam-bent sheriff’s badge covered in 22-carat gold leaf. The flags and star weigh 126 pounds.
The maple wood came from western Vigo County, while the sheriff’s badge is made of ash from central Indiana.
Six plaques honoring the six deputies who fell in the line of duty flank the flags and badge. Each plaque has a photo of the deputy and tells a portion of his story.
THPD Fallen Heroes
• Officer Brent Daniel Long — July 11, 2011
• Detective Harold Lee “Sonny” Rogers — June 16, 1984
• Detective Sgt. James William Utz — Sept. 15, 1981
• Detective Clarence D. Thompson — March 9, 1964
• Patrolman Wayne E. Jones — June 25, 1951
• Patrolman Walter Lanfair — Aug 3, 1934
• Patrolman Herman F. Harms — Jan. 25, 1925
• Officer Harry Borum — Nov. 23, 1924
• Detective Stephen Kendall — Jan. 23, 1924
• Patrolman Herbert Long — Feb. 9, 1922
• Detective Matthew A. Dorley — Jan. 23, 1919
• Detective William E. Dwyer — April 2, 1908
Vigo Sheriff to honor fallen on Thursday
A ceremony to unveil the Vigo County Sheriff Memorial is set for 11 a.m. Thursday at the Vigo County Jail.
VCSD Fallen Heroes
• Deputy Enrico A. Garcia Jr. — Sept. 23, 2007
• Correctional Officer Aaron M. Schoffstall — Nov. 28, 2000
• Sgt. Walter Kevin Artz — July 1, 1987
• Chief Deputy Paul Mankin — July 16, 1936
• Deputy Peter Feiler — Nov. 13, 1914
• Deputy John M. Cleary — April 9, 1932
News
Related Photos
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza New stars and stripes: Andy Whitt, III, of the VFW Post 972 Color Guard presents a flag to Terre Haute Assistant Police Chief Shawn Keen during the police department's memorial ceremony Thursday at the police headquarters.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza Ceremony: The flag team of the Terre Haute Police Department's Honor Guard ceremoniously folds the flag during the department's memorial ceremony Thursday at police headquarters.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza Prayers for the ones who protect us: Terre Haute Police Department Chief John Plasse reads the names of fallen officers during the department's memorial ceremony at police headquarters Thursday.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza A prayer for the fallen: Members of the rifle team of the Terre Haute Police Department Honor Guard bow their heads for a prayer during the department's memorial ceremony Thursday at police headquarters.
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Tribune-Star/Joseph C. Garza Perfect folds: Members of the Terre Haute Police Department Honor Guard flag team work together to fold the flag into a tight triangle during the department's memorial ceremony Thursday at police headquarters.
Discussion
Honoring the fallen: May 13-19 proclaimed Terre Haute National Police Week
Special meaning as THPD conduct annual ceremony
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