The Board of Mesa County Commissioners today proclaimed May 10-16, 2020, as Police Week in Mesa County, and publicly salutes the service of law enforcement officers in our community and communities across the nation.
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| Mesa County Commissioners proclaim May 10-16, 2020, as Police Week in Mesa County. |
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| Mesa County Sheriff Matt Lewis and local law enforcement members accept the National Police Week Proclamation presented by the Mesa County Commissioners during the public hearing on Monday, May 11, 2020. |
There are more than 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including the dedicated members of our local law enforcement agencies, including the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, the Grand Junction Police Department, the Palisade Police Department, the Fruita Police Department, Collbran Marshal's Office, De Beque Marshal's Office, and the Colorado State Patrol.
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| The Board of Mesa County Commissioners proclaimed May 10-16, 2020, as Police Week in Mesa County. |
Since the first recorded death in 1791, more than 21,000 law enforcement officers in the United States have made the ultimate sacrifice and been killed in the line of duty, including three from local law enforcement agencies.
Deputy Edward Innes was killed on September 27, 1906, during an inmate jail escape, Fruita Police Department lost Acting Chief Dan Dalley in June 2001, and most recently, Deputy Derek Geer, of the Mesa County Sheriff's Department, died after being shot by an armed suspect in February 2016.
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| Todd Sorenson, Mesa County Sheriff's Office Captain, removes his mask briefly to accept the proclamation on behalf of local law enforcement officers and reminds the public that they are Mesa County citizens, too. Captain Sorenson said he is proud of our community and the various partnerships that keep our community safe. |
One hundred thirty-five officers were killed in the line of duty in 2019, three of whom are fallen Colorado heroes: Sergeant Joshua Eli Voth, of the Colorado Department of Corrections; Corporal Daniel H. Groves, of the Colorado State Patrol and Master Trooper William James Moden, of the Colorado State Patrol.
The names of these dedicated public servants are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.