Fallen officers honored at Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Friday marked the 56th Annual Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial Service.
"The Almighty has granted us this beautiful day to remember our heroes,” said Mark Nelson, Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police President. "Please know that Oklahoma's law enforcement community will never forget."
The names of ten law enforcement officers and one canine partner who died in the line of duty were recently engraved on the memorial at the Department of Public Safety Headquarters:
- Marion A. Sweeten, Deputy U.S. Marshal, shot, and killed May 3, 1886, during a domestic fight.
- Samuel S. Reed, Deputy Sheriff, Marshall County was shot and killed September 22, 1911, while ejecting a man from a circus for not having a ticket.
- James H. Thompson, Officer, Eldorado Police Department, was shot and killed about 1:30 a.m. May 20, 1921, while making his nightly rounds.
- J.D. Lovette, Deputy Sheriff, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office suffered a heart attack early the morning of September 6, 1959, while walking to a house to conduct an investigation.
- Raymond D. Brown II, Officer, Comanche Nation Police Department died August 8, 20121, from complications from contracting the Covid virus on duty.
- Kenneth W. Fowler, Correctional Officer, Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office died February 19, 2023, from head injuries received when he slipped on the icy parking lot of the Sheriff’s Office on January 31st.
- Richard S. Parker, Captain, McAlester Police Department died March 16, 2023, from a heart attack.
- Joseph S. Barlow, Officer, McAlester Police Department died March 20, 2023, from injuries received in a vehicle accident while escorting the body of Captain Richard Parker to the funeral home on March 17th.
- Jeremy D. McCain, Deputy Sheriff, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office died March 20, 2023, from injuries received in on-duty vehicle accident March 10th.
- John R. Randolph III, Captain, Ringling Police Department died September 25, 2023, from internal injuries received in a fall the evening of September 22nd.
- Canine Partner Helo, Owasso Police Department, died March 21, 2023, from a massive hemorrhage after collapsing during a strenuous training exercise.
"These are husbands and fathers and mothers, and wives, daughters and sons,” said Judge Scott Rowland, Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals. “They're the salt of our Earth and they've been taken from us because of the profession that they chose."
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, more than 1,800 officers nationwide have died while on duty in the last five years.
"They knew that there's no higher calling than to protect and speak for those who can't protect and speak for themselves,” said Rowland.
Friday was Kasey Pirrone’s third time attending the ceremony.
"It's very powerful to look around and to see everyone,” said Pirrone. “You hurt with them, you grieve with them."
Pirrone lost her dad, Edgar “Buddy” Pales Jr., an Owasso Police Officer, in 2021. He died after getting COVID while on the job.
“He was just a really good guy. He really was,” said Pirrone. “All of these names have a story."