Ceremony Honors Local, National Police Officers

The Ozaukee County Law Enforcement Association is holding the fifth annual memorial ceremony in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week on Wednesday.

The event starts at 6 p.m. at in Port Washington.

"One of the things we do is identify the officers in the Midwest that were killed in the line of duty the year before," Port Washington Police Chief Richard Thomas explained in an e-mail. "This year we will read 21 names and then have a special carnation in tribute to the chief of police in Mequon, Chief (Thomas Elroy) Buntrock, who was killed in the line of duty back in the late '70s."

On Oct. 1, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a law designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of federal, state and local municipal peace officers killed in the line of duty. The week of May 15 has since been considered Police Week.

The Port Washington Police Department held its first peace officers memorial ceremony on May 15, 2007, according to the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce. Attendance for the event grew so much that the ceremony is now held at St. Peter's Catholic Church.

This year, the ceremony will feature both the Honor Guard and the Honor Guard. The public is welcome to attend the ceremony and a fellowship that will follow the service in the parish hall of the church.

The event is free, and anyone interested in attending should contact Barb Roska at 262-268-4262.