Law enforcement memorial honors fallen officers and their families

The Imperial Valley 9th Annual Law Enforcement Memorial was held at the steps of the El Centro Courthouse on Friday evening.

Several law enforcement agencies came together with family members of officers fallen in the line of duty. The ceremony started with a caravan of law enforcement vehicles coming down Main Street to park in two rows in front of the courthouse. After that, two airplanes flew overhead in formation. Speakers honored the lives of the 39 Imperial County officers fallen in the line of duty. The fallen heroes dated as far back as 1920 to the present. Organizers of the memorial say those officers will always be remembered, never forgotten.

El Centro Police Officer Mike Boston, one of the memorial organizers, said, “We’re not only honoring the heroes, but actually the family members. We want to make sure that those family members realize that we have not forgotten their fallen family members and also them, too, to let them know that we respect the sacrifice that they gave to our community. It makes me feel good to know that we can put something on to let those family members know that the fallen officers are not forgotten.”

The annual law enforcement memorial began in 2009 and is held on the first Friday of May.