Berks police officers honor their fallen in somber ceremony
Law enforcement members and their supporters gathered Friday afternoon at the Berks County Heritage Center in Bern Township for a solemn service to honor their fallen colleagues.
The Police Memorial Service is conducted by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 71 at the police monument, the base of which is etched with the names of members who made the ultimate sacrifice.
'This memorial serves as a central place where our brothers and sisters who served in law enforcement in Berks County have a place to come together as one,' said Joseph M. Brown, lodge president. 'It serves as a reminder to all who visit this beautiful park, the sacrifices that were made by these officers.
Joseph M. Brown, president, speaks during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
'To the families here today, your loved one stood for something greater than themselves. They wore the badge, not for recognition or for praise, but because they believe in protecting others and standing up when others step back, and in serving with integrity, courage and heart.'
Brown said two of the names added to the monument this year were Reading police officers who died by suicide.
'They stood with us in our deepest moments and carried burdens few of us can truly understand,' he said. 'It is never easy to speak at times like this, especially when we lose someone, not in the line of duty, but to an internal battle too often fought in silence.
'Their deaths are a heartbreaking reminder that the wounds our officers carry are not always visible, the weight of the job, the things seen and felt, the unspoken expectations to stay strong. can all become overwhelming.'
During the ceremony, Lt. Sean Fullerton of the Exeter Township police department slowly read the names of the fallen as the memorial was surrounded by the Berks FOP honor guard, color guard and a squad of police officers who marched in unison from the parking lot.
The police honor guard marches to the memorial during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Family, friends and former colleagues of the fallen grabbed red carnations and placed them at the monument as bagpipers and drummers played 'Amazing Grace.'
Carnations were placed by family members honoring police officers during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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The police honor guard marches to the memorial during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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Joseph M. Brown, president, speaks during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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Joseph M. Brown, president, speaks during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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Lt. Sean Fullerton o fthe Exeter Township police department reads the names of the officers on the memorial during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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The Berks Lodge #71 Firing Detail offers a rifle salute during the Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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Carnations were placed by family members honoring police officers during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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The police honor guard marches to the memorial during the Berks Lodge #71 Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Service at the Berks County Heritage Center on Friday, May 2, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
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