In honor of National Police Week, May 13-19, area law enforcement officials held a memorial service on Tuesday morning for those who have fallen in the line of duty.

Brownwood Chief of Police Mike Corley gave opening remarks that noted less officer fatalities in 2013 than in 2012 nationwide.  He gave statistics that 166 officers died nationally, 13 of which were from Texas in 2012 and in 2013 there were 127 officer deaths nationwide, with 11 in Texas.  These deaths also included two canine officers who died in the line of duty, both were from Bexar County.

Early Chief of Police David Mercer recited the poem “A Part of America Died,” which illustrates the loss of an officer to his/her department, family, friends and community.

Bangs Chief of Police Troy Grusendorf read the Honor Roll of Texas police officers killed in the line of duty in 2012.  These officers are as follows:

Javier Arana, Texas Department of Public Safety
Jaime Padron, Austin Police Department
Michael Smith, Upton County Sheriff’s Department
Police K-9 Vegas, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
Police K-9 Hades, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
Joshua Williams, Waxahachie Police Department
Joshua Mitchell, Reagan County Sheriff’s Office
Brian Bachmann, Brazos County Constable’s Office
Paul Hernandez, Texas Department of Public Safety
Jonathan Molina, El Paso Police Department
Angel Garcia, El Paso Police Department
Jimmie Norman, Bellaire Police Department
Edrees Mukhtar, San Antonio Police Department

In honor of these officers, flags were lowered by Lieutenant Randall Krpoun (BPD), Patrolman Fred Bastardo (BPD), and Deputy John Fincher (Brown County Sheriff’s Office).  Brownwood High School band member Karissa Means played Taps on the trumpet while the flags were lowered.  Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubbs and Chief Corley placed a red, white and blue memorial wreath in front of the flags.

During the ceremony, Chief Corley asked the public to do three things this week.

“First, remember and honor please our fallen officers; second, pray for the families and the children of these fallen officers, they need that always; and third, please appreciate, show appreciation to officers you see.  This is a good week to just say thank you for what they do.”

Pictured above:  Chief Corley (speaking), and (back row left to right): Chief Gruesendorf, Chaplain Dave Fair, Chaplain Dan Chapman,  Chief Mercer and Sheriff Grubbs. See video below for reading of “A Part of America Died.”

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