Cochran, Wicker Honor Fallen Miss. Police Officers

WASHINGTON D.C. (Press Release) — U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today offered tributes as part of National Police Week to honor the Mississippi law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The Senators’ tributes were offered in advance of the 33rd Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday morning. In addition, communities in Mississippi are also conducting ceremonies this week to honor the seven officers who died in the line of duty in 2013. Two Mississippi officers, who lost their lives in 1905 and 1936, are also being remembered as part of the annual National Police Week, May 11-17.

At the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, the names of officers who died in the line of duty have been inscribed on the memorial as part of ceremonies commemorating that annual National Police Week, May 11-17.

“National Police Week serves as an annual reminder of the dangers that law enforcement officers face every day, and the ultimate price paid by some to protect us. The loss of any officer in the line of duty is tragic, and the toll for Mississippi is sadly too high,” Cochran said. “I join Mississippians in remembering our fallen officers and their families, and in praying for the safety of those who continue to serve.”

“These brave law enforcement officers have given the ultimate sacrifice to keep our neighborhoods and communities safe,” said Wicker. “We grieve with their families and remember their true acts of heroism in the line of duty. Our appreciation for their service is not confined to National Police Week but extends to every day of the year.”

Law enforcement officers who are being remembered in Mississippi and Washington this week include:

• Police Chief Randy Boykin, Enterprise Police Department, March 19, 2013 (http://bit.ly/1oMAyZR)
• Detective Eric Tyrone Smith, Sr., Jackson Police Department, April 4, 2013 (http://bit.ly/RNXc9k)
• Officer Bruce Daniel Jacob, Jackson Police Department, July 20, 2013 (http://bit.ly/1iJEMMD)
• Corporal Van Perry, Carthage Police Department, Sept. 5, 2013 (http://bit.ly/1mW1cOR)
• Corporal Keith Alan Crenshaw, Eupora Police Department, Oct. 23, 2013 (http://bit.ly/1lk8J7J)
• Deputy Sheriff Clinton Hugh Frazier, Union County Sheriff’s Department, Dec. 18, 2013 (http://bit.ly/1lbvkVf)
• Sergeant Kevin “Gale” Stauffer, Tupelo Police Department, Dec. 23, 2013 (http://bit.ly/1iQfQYc)
• Sheriff John Macon Poag, Tate County Sheriff’s Department, April 12, 1905 (http://bit.ly/1luKvus)
• Deputy Sheriff Robert E. Dodson, DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department, Dec. 16, 1936 (http://bit.ly/1lk9HAI)

Thursday’s memorial service at the U.S. Capitol is hosted by the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police and the Grand Lodge Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary. The overall national observance is organized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Concerns of Police Survivors, the Fraternal Order of Police and the Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary.

This year, the names of 286 local, state and federal officers were etched into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, including officers like Poag and Dodson whose line-of-duty sacrifices recently came to the attention of the Memorial administrators. Of the officers who lost their lives in 2013, 42 percent were traffic-related, 30 percent were firearms related, and 28 percent were attributed to other causes.

National Police Officers Memorial Day was first designated in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy.