Barbara Boxer, U.S. senator from California, once said: “Law enforcement officers are never ‘off duty.’ They are dedicated public servants who are sworn to protect public safety at any time and place that the peace is threatened. They need all the help that they can get.”
More than 300 people came out on Jan. 17 for “A Walk to Remember” at Liberty State Park to remember the 118 police officers nationwide that died in the line of duty in 2014.
And it was a personal issue for many of those who attended the 5k walk because this wasn’t just something that happened elsewhere. Jersey City lost a police officer this year, and nearby, New York City lost two in December, all three of them murdered while on duty.
For many this was one more memorial service for Jersey City officer Melvin Santiago, who was killed in ambush last July.
“I wanted to stand with those who always stand up for us.” – Sen. Robert Menendez
____________
Hosted by the Jersey City Police Detective’s Benevolent Association, the event was designed to create solidarity for police officers throughout the country at a time when police officers appear to have become targets.
They came from near and far
Many of those who attended were Jersey City police officers and their families; some police came from Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maryland and New York.
Freeholder Anthony Romano, a retired Hoboken police captain, said this event also honored Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, two New York City police officers who were ambushed in Brooklyn in December.
Ronnie Gonzalez-Ramos, the cousin of Rafael Ramos and other family members were also prominent at the Liberty State Park walk, carrying a framed picture of Rafael Ramos.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, state Sen. Sandra Cunningham and Hudson County Executive Tom Degise took part in what amounted to a walking memorial for the fallen police offers.
“I wanted to stand with those who always stand up for us,” Menendez said. “We’re here for the men and women who courageously protect our homes and our communities, and we’re here to grieve over a tragedy that repeated itself 118 times last year. Each made the ultimate sacrifice protecting all of us.”
The event also served as a fundraiser to benefit the Melvin Santiago Fund, a memorial fund to help Santiago’s family. Proceeds from the sale of t-shirts, hats and donations will go to a scholarship set up for Santiago’s younger brother. Some of the proceeds would also benefit Brothers Before Others, an organization that sends flowers to surviving members of police officers killed in the line of duty.
The names of the 118 officers were held up at the end of the walk facing “The Freedom Tower” which was directly across the Hudson River from Liberty State Park during a 118 second moment of silence.
“It was amazing,” said Councilman Richard Boggiano, a retired police officer. “I was very impressed by how many people came out in the cold weather.”
Serving as honor guard for the walk was a motorcycle motorcade from the Jersey City Police Department.
“This was important for me as a police officer to support my brothers and sisters,” Romano said. “It was important for us to show that we’re there for this cause.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.