LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Police Department led a memorial service Monday for National Police Week.
LPD’s Regional Police Memorial Service is a collaborative effort between several organizations dedicated to honoring Virginia’s law enforcement community.
National Police Week was established in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy. He declared May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, in order to honor those officers who have died while serving their communities.
We’re told there have been 23,000 deaths since the U.S. started keeping track. Four of them are from the Hill City.
“We’ve had four officers in over 200 years here in Lynchburg but every year about 150 police officers are killed in the line of duty. We need to do everything we can to keep their legacy remembered and alive, certainly honor their family members too so they don’t ever feel like they’re forgotten,” Police Chief Ryan Zuidema said.
One officer recognized during Monday’s memorial was Chris Wagner from the Wintergreen Police Department, who died in the line of duty in June 2023.
Terrance Cole, Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security joined the memorial service as the keynote speaker.
“When the Governor and I met with his family last year, you could tell that Chris was a gentleman that loved his country, his community and was all about service before self,” Cole said.
Wagner’s family was up in Washington D.C. on Monday to see Wagner’s name permanently engraved into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.