September 28, 2021 – Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon (D-Utica/Rome) issued the following statement in recognition of fallen police officers from across New York State who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty.
“The noble profession of protecting and serving our communities is one that should never go without recognition and gratitude,” said Buttenschon. “The dedicated officers who tragically died in the line of duty made the ultimate sacrifice and should always be remembered as the heroes they are. It is important to honor their memory and to help ensure their legacy lives on forever.”
The state Legislature passed a bill creating a New York State Police Officers Memorial in January 1989 to honor fallen officers from across the state. The memorial ceremony is held annually in Albany, typically during the month of May. This year’s ceremony, however, was held Tuesday on the Empire State Plaza in New York’s capital city.
The names of 1,668 police officers are engraved on the memorial wall, encompassing 148 police agencies statewide and six federal agencies. The design of the memorial is based on a concept submitted by Colleen Dillon Bergman, the daughter of State Trooper Emerson J. Dillon Jr. who was slain in the line of duty in 1974 after more than 16 years of service with the state police. Her quote remains engraved on the memorial wall today, stating “It doesn’t matter from which department they came, the feeling of loss is experienced the same.” In that same regard, the names of the officers are placed randomly on the wall without rank to resemble how every officer’s sacrifice is the same.
