Los Angeles(LASD)－Sheriff Jim McDonnell presided over the 47th Annual Los Angeles County Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. This annual ceremony commemorates the lives of peace officers who died in the line of duty while serving the residents of Los Angeles County. Many federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies along with dignitaries, family members, friends, and co-workers of the fallen officers were in attendance.
The Honorable Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Fifth district and Mr. Dan York, father of slain Deputy Shayne York of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, delivered inspirational and heartfelt words of comfort to guests and to those who have lost a loved one. Shayne York, 26, was shot in the back of the head, execution style, during a takeover robbery at a Buena Park hair salon on Thursday, August 14, 1997.
The commemoration was held in the tree-adorned Memorial Park at the Sheriff’s Training Academy and Regional Services (STARS) Center in Whittier. The memorial service opened with a dirge from a drum and bagpipe corps. In addition, there were musical elegies performed by members of law enforcement and the release of white doves on behalf of the fallen officers.
Lamentably, the names of the following officers were added to the Memorial Wall:
Officer Ricardo “Rickey” Galvez, Downey Police Department –
EOW 11/18/2015
Sergeant Thomas J. Fonte, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department –
EOW 10/02/1990
Deputy Otto R. Ellinger, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department –
EOW 12/06/1934
Lieutenant Arthur W. Bethel, Los Angeles Police Department –
EOW 07/13/1941
Officer William A. Guidera, Monterey Park Police Department –
EOW 09/09/1927
Officer Ralph Miover, Los Angeles Police Department –
EOW 04/11/1925
Individual bronze plaques memorializing the names of the six officers have been added to over 500 law enforcement officers whose names are inscribed on the Memorial Wall in honor of their dedication to duty and the ultimate sacrifice they made.
During a special moment of the ceremony, Sheriff McDonnell accepted the Memorial Torch and lit the Memorial Flame at the Los Angeles County Peace Officers’ Memorial Wall in tribute to the fallen officers.
The Memorial Torch was delivered by department members after a three day Memorial Torch Relay Run totaling 339 miles. The Memorial Torch Relay Run commenced at the recently renovated Los Angeles County Hall of Justice and traveled to each mainland Sheriff’s station over a three day period.
