Memorial service pays tribute and honors Springfield's fallen heroes
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It's National Police Week, and on Tuesday, a memorial service honored Springfield officers who died in the line of duty.
The city of Springfield paused Tuesday afternoon to remember its fallen officers.
Each year, this quiet moment of reflection is held at Springfield police headquarters, honoring those who died in the line of duty. Seventeen names, engraved in the memorial stone outside the station, each representing a life lost while serving the city.
Family members looked on…Some remembering loved ones from decades ago—-others generations. Each name was read aloud during the memorial roll call. Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers recognized the families who carry the weight of such a great loss, 'Your loved ones are heroes—not just for how they died, but for how they lived.'
Among those in attendance was Maura Schiavina. Her brother, Officer Michael Schiavina, was killed nearly 40 years ago. 'I still have all of these images in my head. I wanted to work in this department with my brother—I can't put into words what this means to me.' Doris Beauregard Shecrallah, the wife of fallen officer Alain Beauregard, shares a message of hope for the next generation of police officers. 'When you see those names, they are not forgotten,' she says. 'Thank you for joining this team. We need you.'
As officers and families stood in silence, the Springfield honor guard offered a final salute to those who never made it home.
Father William Hamilton adds, 'There's no greater love than to lay one's life down for a friend. Even more remarkable is to lay one's life down for those not known. This is the legacy our loved ones have left us.'
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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