By Karl G. Auerbach, Chief of Police
The 87th Congress of the United States of America, House Joint Resolution Number 730 (Public Law 87-726) codified on October 1, 1962, and signed by President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 of each year as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week of each year during which May 15 occurs as Police Week.
National activities are hosted each year in Washington, DC and other cities, to honor those law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice the previous calendar year.
The National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial located in Washington DC, honors all of America’s Federal, State, Tribal and local law enforcement officers killed in the line-of-duty. Inscribed on the Memorial’s marble walls are the names of more than 22,500 officers, dating back to the first known death in 1792.
There are 325 Police Officers who were killed in the line-of-duty in Arizona and their names are inscribed on the Wall of Honor at the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington DC. There are 130 Native American Police Officers’ names inscribed on the Wall of Honor, 30 are from Arizona:
- Albert Sterling, San Carlos PD – E.O.W. April 19, 1882
- John L. Colvig, San Carlos PD – E.O.W. July 6, 1882
- Hoska Thompson, Navajo PD – E.O.W. October 20, 1949
- Dennis Titla, Sr., San Carlos PD – E.O.W. April 12, 1960
- Burton Begay, Navajo PD – E.O.W. April 12, 1960
- Loren Whitehat, Navajo PD – E.O.W. May 10, 1979
- Milton P. Antone, Ak-Chin PD – E.O.W. April 14, 1983
- Roy Lee Stanley, Navajo PD – E.O.W. December 5, 1987
- Andy Begay, Navajo PD – E.O.W. December 5, 1987
- Dean M. James, BIA Hopi Agency – E.O.W. September 17, 1988
- Kevin T. Lewis, BIA Gila River Agency – E.O.W. February 4, 1993
- Ronald E. Kelley, Ak-Chin PD – E.O.W. November 20, 1995
- Hoskie A. Gene, Navajo PD – E.O.W. January 6, 1996
- Samuel A. Redhouse, Navajo PD – E.O.W. February 17, 1997
- Michael S. Delgado, Tohono O’odham PD – E.O.W. April 9, 1998
- Esther Todecheene, Navajo PD – E.O.W. June 8, 1998
- Wilsonfred A. Filfred, Navajo PD – E.O.W. April 2, 1999
- Tenny Gatewood Jr., White Mountain Apache PD – E.O.W. December 9, 1999
- Aaron D. Peru, San Carlos PD – E.O.W. February 13, 2011
- Darrell C. Curley, Navajo PD – E.O.W. June 26, 2011
- Jair A. Cabrera, Salt River PD – E.O.W. May 24, 2014
- Ernest J. Montoya Sr., Navajo PD – E.O.W. November 30, 2014
- Alex K. Yazzie, Navajo PD – E.O.W. March 19, 2015
- LeAnder Frank, Navajo PD – E.O.W. August 30, 2016
- Houston J. Largo, Navajo PD – E.O.W. March 12, 2017
- Clayton Joel Townsend, Salt River PD – E.O.W. January 8, 2019
- David Wesley Kellywood, White Mountain Apache PD – E.O.W. February 17, 2020
- Michael Lee, Navajo PD – E.O.W. June 18, 2020
- Esther Charley, Navajo PD – E.O.W. June 22, 2020
- Bryan Robert Brown, Tohono O’odham PD – E.O.W. August 27, 2020
Please remember these brave men and women whose final act on this earth was to fight a great evil, provide safety and make a difference in their community.