The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, along with several other area law enforcement agencies, on May 14 honored the life and sacrifice of law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty, as well as those who died of natural causes on the way to or from their jobs, during National Police Week.
The event was held on the grounds of the Historic Pasco County Courthouse, according to the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page. Fallen officers were honored throughout the day on the agency’s social media sites.
The sheriff’s office was joined at the memorial event by Dade City Police, Zephyrhills Police, New Port Richey Police, the Florida Highway Patrol and Tarpon Springs Police.
A number of community leaders and elected leaders were in attendance, including Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, State Sen. Danny Burgess and Pasco County NAACP President Clyde Carter, who offered the invocation for the event, according to the Facebook post.
The event also featured significant traditions, including the appearance of a riderless horse and a gun salute.
U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis also recognized the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers by sharing information about those contributions in a news release.
“According to Officer Down Memorial, there have been 124 police officers killed in the line of duty since January of this year,” Bilirakis said, in the release.
“Tragically, two of them have been my constituents: Deputy Michael Magli of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and Master Patrol Officer Jesse Madsen of the Tampa Police Department. I went to the funeral services of these two heroes, and shared the anguish of their grieving families and colleagues. These fallen heroes leave behind a distinguished legacy of service and sacrifice that deserves to be honored,” Bilirakis added.
The congressman also said that while some are calling to “defund the police,” he advocates increasing support for them.
Published May 26, 2021
