Latest news with #FallenHeroesMemorial
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Honoring Georgia's fallen: A traveling memorial wall pays tribute to 876 officers
The Brief A memorial wall in Georgia lists the names and images of 876 Georgia law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. The wall was built by longtime police officer John Ivey, who wanted to find a way to honor his fellow officers. He takes it across the state so others can honor and remember the officers. COBB COUNTY, Ga. - It's National Police Week, a time to honor the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers. Here in Georgia, there's a wall dedicated to those who died in the line of duty. What they're saying Every time an officer dies in the line of duty, it hurts John Ivey's soul. He's worked in law enforcement for 30 years. He built a granite wall to honor their lives. "It's in honor of every fallen officer in the state of Georgia we lost since Dec. 11, 1839. There are 876 fallen heroes that are on our granite memorial," said Ivey. The wall is made up of granite panels with the names and images of the officers. "I hand etched everything on there," said Ivey. He says putting a name on the wall is always hard, but it's even harder when it's someone he knows. "You know their names, you know their story. It's emotional. I was there with quite a few of them," said Ivey. Ivey takes the wall to various events across the state so as many people as possible can honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Local perspective Theresa Hand visited the wall when it was displayed in Cobb County. "All the people on this wall are heroes," said Hand. Hand got emotional when she saw the image of Atlanta Police Officer Sherry Lyons Williams, who was killed in 2001 during a drug raid. "She and I served in the military together. She was a dedicated officer," said Hand. Ivey says when he sees the reactions from families and friends, he knows the work he's put into the memorial wall is worth it. "They give you a hug and say thank you, because they're never going to be forgotten, and that's our goal," said Ivey. What you can do Georgia's Fallen Heroes Memorial is a nonprofit. Ivey hopes to use it to raise money for the families through the sale of items and donations. You can find out more on the website, The Source FOX 5's Denise Dillon spoke with John Ivey about the Georgia law enforcement remembrance wall.

Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
Galt Police unveil memorial of former officer Harminder Grewal
Feb. 22—A memorial statue bust of Harminder Grewal was unveiled on Thursday afternoon at the Galt Police Department, with family, friends and colleagues gathering to honor an officer who died in the line of duty. The ceremony was the culmination of a community-wide effort to cement the legacy of a public servant who was named Officer of the Year just months before he was tragically killed in a vehicle collision. A post of the Galt Police Department Facebook page read "This memorial proudly stands in front of our department building and serves as a lasting symbol of his unwavering commitment, courage, and the impact he made on our department and community. Officer Grewal's sacrifice will always be remembered, and his dedication will continue to inspire those who serve." On Aug. 22, 2021, at 4:35 a.m., Grewal and fellow officer Kapri Herrera were traveling north on Highway 99 to assist with the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County when their patrol car was struck head-on by a Ford pick-up truck that jumped the concrete median from the southbound lanes near the Dillard Road interchange. Both Grewal and Herrera had to be extricated from the vehicle, with the former taken to Kaiser's South Sacramento campus in critical condition. He succumbed to his injuries four days later. Herrera returned the department after a long recovery. An officer with the Galt department for more than two years at the time of his death, Grewal was named the 2020 Officer of the Year in 2021. He had also been recognized by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving California the prior March at an awards ceremony for helping remove 64 impaired motorists from the streets in 2020. Grewal's name is on the Fallen Heroes Memorial outside Galt City Hall, along with Galt Police Officer Kevin Tonn and Sacramento County Animal Control Officer Roy Marcum, who were both shot and killed in the line of duty, Tonn in January 2013 and Marcum in November 2012.