The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office held the annual Fallen Heroes Memorial Candlelight Vigil Thursday evening, the first time the ceremony was held at the new Sheriff’s Operations Center in Bunnell.
“Behind every fallen officer, there’s a family who also bears the burden of their loss,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “We want to acknowledge and thank the families of our fallen heroes for their sacrifice. Many of the families are here to night. We know your pain is deep and lasting, and I want you to know: you are not alone in your grief. We grieve with you. Our community and nation grieve with you.”
The sheriff spoke of the fallen law enforcement officers’ legacies enduring through their families and friends, and through law enforcement continuing to uphold the values, integrity and principles they lived by, “cherishing their memories as a source of inspiration and motivation in our own daily lives.” And he spoke of the daily risks police face every day, running toward danger.
In 2022, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 246 law enforcement officers lost their lives in the line of duty–66 of them (or 26 percent) by gunfire, 58 in vehicle-related crashes (24 percent), 114 for medical episodes (46 percent) and 10 for other reasons.
So far this year, 41 officers have lost their lives, two of them the day of the ceremony–Sgt. Joshua Clouse of the Cameron Police Department in Texas, who was shot and killed while serving a warrant to a man wanted for shooting his wife (the man was shot and killed in turn), and Alabama Port Authority Police officer Kimberly Sickafoose, who drowned after her patrol truck sank in the 40-ft.-deep Mobile River while she was on patrol early Thursday morning.
The ceremony honored all law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The names of the six fallen law enforcement officers from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office were read aloud during the portion of the ceremony that is always its most solemn, as family members of the fallen placed a single rose in a five-point star flower arrangement by the memorial to the fallen.
The memorial rises near the entrance to the Operations center. The names of the fallen were read out loud one by one, with the date of their “end of watch,” as first responders refer to one’s last time on duty:
Sheriff Perry Hall, End of Watch August 21, 1927
Deputy George “Son” Durrance, End of Watch August 24, 1927
Sheriff Homer Brooks, End of Watch March 23, 1965
Deputy Charles “Chuck” Sease, End of Watch July 5, 2003
Sergeant Francesco “Frankie” Celico, End of Watch September 9, 2011
Deputy First Class Paul Luciano, End of Watch August 26, 2021
The Sheriff’s Office and Bunnell Police Chief Brannon also recognized Bunnell Police Department Sgt. Dominic Guida, who died during a training exercise in 2021. Sheriff Staly also recognized fallen FBI Agent Daniel Alfin, son of Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin. Daniel Alfin was murdered, along with his partner, Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger, while serving a warrant in Sunrise, in South Florida in 2021. FHP Trooper Darryl Haywood, Sr.’s memory was also commemorated.
The sheriff also read from an email that included a “letter to an officer” that has been circulating among law enforcement agencies, called “I See You,” and that begins, “I want you to know that I see you. I see you choose the booth in the restaurant that allows you to have your back against the wall. I see you walking to your next traffic stop while you hope that it isn’t your last. I see you pulled over, two hours past your shift, as you finish you reports under a street light. …”
The ceremony was emceed by Chief David Williams, who conducted the roll call of the fallen before the assembled held aloft the electric-blue candle they’d received as George Strait’s “The Weight of the Badge” accompanied a video (“It’s gonna be a long one, another graveyard shift/As he says goodbye to his wife and kids…) Then came the sounds of Taps, and Coastal Florida Police & Fire Pipes & Drums’ “Amazing Grace.”
Video of the full ceremony is below.
Atwp says
I look at the picture. Don’t see not one African American in the picture. One maybe in the picture but I don’t see one. The fallen officers. When a cop is killed there a parade honoring their work for the community. We tax payers pay for the parade. I’m getting raw. This society act like they don’t understand the hurt and burden these officers put people through especially African Americans. When an officer murder an innocent person I’ve never heard of a parade for the victim. The family is hurt, angry, and wonder why their loved one was murdered by the cops. What put the nail in the coffin is most of the time the murderer was justified. The family bear the brunt of pain and anguish and the funeral bill. The cop is justified to murder another person to be justified again. No parades for the victim. I do believe some of the murders are justified, especially self defense. I also believe very few are justified. Do the cops family hurt, sure they do but our families hurt too. This is a two way street. Cops murder cops get murdered. The way life is. I know or believe a cop job is very stressful and hard. I also know the life of an African American man in this country is no cake walk. Am very glad some cops are held responsible for their murderous actions.
Not forgotten by all says
The late Deputy Joe Delarosby should be on that wall and remembered in this annual ceremony. Shame on you Sheriff Staly for your role in his death and refusal to acknowledge him.
B says
lol thoughts and prayers. You mean the billion dollar police unions dont pay for it and make tax payers fund their parades haha I bet its also considered overtime. Just like when courts give the murdered victims (from police killings) money it doesnt come from police funds. This country is so corrupt. Rasict Ron though is lining the pockets of his wealthy donors for his push for a 200 year reich just like his role model Adolf once did. Will have his own gestapo soon too , now go arrest a teacher for having a banned book or showing kids a kids movie. Ban teachers unions but not police unions right? why? oh well the police donate to my fascist campaign and the teachers didnt.
Remember the GOP is for you as long as your not black, brown, poor, jewish,muslim, hindu, gay, bi, trans, woke, educated, latino, undocumented, asian (especially chinese), care for other humans, desire social safety nets, support other ideas, or want the wealthiest people to pay taxes. Also climate change, biodiversity/ habitat loss, racism, or ideas for a better future arent real thats just made up by the left.
Repubilcons actively support inequality. Today there are three people with more wealth than 60% of americans combined( no they didnt work harder than 200 million people combined). This is how they want it as long as those three people contribute to their campaigns in dark money so its not taxed or reported its preffered. Do you think the nazi party I mean Repubicans will declare victory in the next election reguardless of outcome like last time? I mean even if the opposition gets 30 million more votes in a two horse race they still loose right? Get your swastikas ready… some dislike the term nazi but totally support its ideologies and policies. Id say read your history book on nazis but then if you read you may become woke so just go back to sleep.