As about 100 people assembled in front of the police station for Elgin’s annual memorial service in honor of fallen police officers, several of the speakers mentioned that police nationwide have had to deal with public scrutiny while some have been killed.
“The police profession has been under attack,” said the master of ceremonies, Elgin Deputy Chief Bill Wolf. “But the vast majority of police officers who work the job every day deserve to be honored — particularly those who have given their lives serving their communities.”
“Just this last weekend two law enforcement officers lost their lives in Hattiesburg, Miss., just for doing their duty during a traffic stop,” City Councilman Terry Gavin said.”In many communities the media have been very unfair to law enforcement officers when it is they who form the thin blue line between civilization and a society in anarchy.”
Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said 117 police officers were killed in the line of duty in 2014 and another 42 already have died this year. “While that is a reduction from the year before, even one death is far too tragic,” the chief said. “Every one of these deaths is another crack in the foundation of our society.”
However, Swoboda thanked Elgin’s city officials present for providing his department with the resources it needs. “While the risk is always there, having the proper training and equipment is a way to minimize that risk,” he said.
Swoboda added that in the past year 50 percent of the Elgin officers have voluntarily taken and passed a state physical fitness test, recognizing that the biggest killer of police is actually “lurking inside” their bodies.
More Top Picks Best Activity Centers For Babies
Swabia, who has emphasized “community policing” strategies, also thanked the civilian community for their help. “Law enforcement is meant to be a cooperative effort. I’m proud to say we have that kind of community,” the chief said.
As in past years, the ceremonies included placing a wreath in honor of the police dead, lowering the three flags outside the police station to half-staff, presenting the colors by a detail of officers escorted by a bagpipe player and three volleys of seven police riflemen firing a salute to the dead.
But one thing different this year was that the ceremony ended with the dedication of the department’s “paver project.” Paving bricks bearing the names of dead, retired or serving officers are being laid in the sidewalk in front of the police station. To cut a blue ribbon dedicating the display, Wolf took an inventory of the several dozen retired officers who were present and handed the scissors to the one who had started his career the longest time ago. That was 78-year-old Al Grantham of Elgin, who joined the force in 1959 and retired as a sergeant in 1989.
Despite the heavy toll each year nationwide, the police department’s historian, Detective Brian Lawrence, said only one Elgin officer is known to have been killed in the line of duty. Officer Robert Frahm was chasing a fleeing shoplifter away from a store along Big Timber Road on Dec. 4, 1975 when he was hit and killed by a passing car.
Frahm died at the age of 34.
He would have been 74 this year.