Local police departments remember their fallen heroes on Peace Officers Memorial Day
Police officers marched outside the Stamford police department Monday to reflect and remember.
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Gov. Ned Lamont has ordered flags fly at half-staff Monday for Peace Officers Memorial Day.
It is a time to honor law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.
Police officers marched outside the Stamford police department Monday to reflect and remember.
"Today we give thanks for the special courage of the fallen. Those whose watch ended with their lives," said Stamford Police Chief Timothy Shaw.
The names of officers across Fairfield County were read aloud.
"Auxiliary Police Officer Aldo Santini."
It also included those from Norwalk and Fairfield.
"Constable George Mills."
A total of 224 officers died in the line of duty last year in America. That includes Bristol officers Lt. Dustin DeMonte and Sgt. Alex Hamzy, who thought they were responding to a routine domestic violence call in October.
"I think people see what we do in the community not just necessarily what we do today to honor our own who have made the ultimate sacrifice but weekly," said Shaw.
Norwalk will hold a similar ceremony on Wednesday.
"People see the police drive by every day and they don't know what really happens every single day and this is a time to pause and remember the officers who died in the line of duty," said Norwalk Police Chief James Walsh.
This is a week officers say they will never forget.
"Remind them of the sacrifices that are being made," said Shaw.
Stamford is hosting just one of the hundreds of ceremonies taking place across the country this week.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week.
Peace Officers Memorial Day falls every year on May 15.
