National Peace Officers Memorial Day
ZANESVILLE, Ohio – May 14, 2017 through May 20, 2017 is National Police Week so that those who lost their lives while in the line of duty can be honored and remembered.
According to National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund May 15, 2017 is National Peace Officers Memorial Day and this memorial celebration all started back in 1962 after President Kennedy’s proclamation.
Zanesville Noon Rotary club member April Cohagen-Gibson will be going to a memorial celebration in Washington D.C. to represent two local Muskingum County Sheriff’s officers who were killed in the line of duty.
“There’s over 20,000 on the walls, there’s two walls there in Washington D.C. for the police officers memorial and it’s there to honor, respect, and pay tribute to them and to there families,” said Cohagen-Gibson.
Photo By: Karysa Kent
“They paid the ultimate sacrifice and I’m reminded of that every day,” said South Zanesville Police Chief Eric Finley.
A memorial plaque of Lieutenant Michael Lutz who passed in 1994 is on display at South Zanesville Police Department. Chief Finley said every day he looks at that plaque and is reminded of what this job could lead to.
Zanesville Police Captain Chris Phipps and Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz both say it takes a community’s support and a person’s desire for justice to be in Law Enforcement
“It’s humbling because we serve every day with the hope that no one else will fall,” said Captain Phipps.
Photo By: Karysa Kent
“After all that tragedy we still have men and women that get up every day and they put there uniform on and still go to work,” Sheriff Lutz said. “So we’re very fortunate to have the type of people that we have.”
With there being so much at risk for officers and their families to be in the law enforcement profession Phipps acknowledged that it takes a person who desires justice, doing the right thing, and helping others.
Photo By: Karysa Kent
“In the end it always comes down to the people who want to help others, people who want to serve the cause, honor, and integrity,” Captain Phipps said. “It’s something internal, that’s really what motivates people in this job. You don’t stay in this job unless you want those things anyway.”
According to Cohagen-Gibson people will hang or wear blue ribbons and the Muskingum County Court House will shine blue lights on May 15, 2017 to honor the law enforcement.
“Within the last few months there has been a great upswing in the community support and that’s all I ask that they do,” Chief Finley said. “Is that they support us in what we do.”
Muskingum County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Michael Lutz and Deputy Robert Tanner Junior who passed in 2002 names will be on the Memorial wall in Washington D.C. along with every other fallen officer in America.
