Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies in the Pikes Peak region conduct a flag folding ceremony to honor fallen peace officers during the Pikes Peak Region Peace Officers’ Memorial Service May 20, 2016, at Memorial Park in Colorado Springs. (Photo by 2nd Lt. Kezia Constant)
By 2nd Lt. Kezia Constant
4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
COLORADO SPRINGS — Soldiers from the 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, supported the Pikes Peak Region Peace Officers’ Memorial Service May 20, 2016, at Memorial Park.
Honoring the 31 men and women from the Pikes Peak Region who have made the ultimate sacrifice while in the line of duty since 1895, 4th BSB medics set up a Stryker MedEvac vehicle static display.
“The fact that we were asked to be present for the ceremony shows that the (Pikes Peak) community has faith in both the military and civilian side of law enforcement,” said Pfc. Taylor Phillips, Company B., 4th BSB.
The 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., is aligned with U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and may be called upon to support civil authorities in the event of a large-scale emergency.
Demonstrating its capability to support civilian law enforcement with medical assets in a key part of Fort Carson being a good neighbor to the Pikes Peak Region.
“Who in our society does more than those who lay down their lives for people they don’t even know? I appreciate what the Soldiers do very much … I don’t think they hear it enough, but people are very grateful,” said David Glass, a local resident who attended the memorial service. “The community is incredibly appreciative of what they do.”
The somber event began with the singing of the national anthem and an opening invocation, followed by a speech in honor of the fallen officers.
“It doesn’t matter what the color of your uniform is, we are all family … although we all wear different uniforms, we have one unified mission, to protect and to serve,” said Police Chief Brian McPike, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Police Department, the event’s keynote speaker.
Names of the fallen officers were read out loud and a blue balloon was released in their memory.
“These officers died doing what they believed in and their stories live on” said McPike. “We all know when we leave for work each day it could be our last.”
The last name to be read out loud was Garrett Swasey, an officer with the UCCS police force who was killed responding to the Planned Parenthood clinic shooting Nov. 27, 2015.
“Garrett’s death had a profound impact on the UCCS police force community,” said McPike. “It was like taking a hit to a family. We’ve never lost anyone from our department before, this was something we never expected”.
The Pikes Peak Officer Memorial will soon be built at Memorial Park and contain the names of the fallen law enforcement officers, both military and civilian, who have fallen in the line of duty.
“Our memorial will be physically connected to the Veterans Memorial … that is how important the military is to our community,” said Lt. David Edmondson, Colorado Springs Police Department, and a key player in organizing the construction of the Pikes Peak Officer Memorial.
“It is nice to know that people don’t forget what the community is made of. It is an honor that they recognize that we are a large part of the community and want to include us,” said Staff Sgt. Shaun Walls, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 4th BSB.