By Sheriff Tom Kaase
May 11-17 is National Police Week. This week also includes the recognition of the National Peace Officer Memorial Day, on May 15. This is important to our Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office because we want to take this opportunity to recognize all off the law enforcement officers throughout our county. It is even more important as it is a time in which we recognize those law enforcement officers from our county that made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their life in the line of duty.
Fillmore County Deputy Walter William Kruegel, 59 years of age, died in the line of duty on November 10, 1954. Grand Meadow Officer Jason Brent Meyer, 28 years of age, from Spring Valley, died in the line of duty on September 6, 1999. To read the details of their sacrifice in the line of duty, as well as all the southeastern Minnesota Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty, please go to lawenforcementmemorial.org/fallen-officers.html.
During this year’s National Police Week and National Peace Officer Memorial Day, the lives of 129 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty in 2017 will be nationally recognized at the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, DC. This “in the line of duty death” number has decreased 10% from 2016, which was 143. An additional tragic part of our law enforcement profession is that in 2017 there were 140 suicides by law enforcement officers. This number also recognizes the toll of the pressures that affects the lives and families of officers in our careers.
The Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation of Southeastern Minnesota (www.facebook.com/ROCLEMA) has been working on fundraising for the building of a local Law Enforcement Memorial. This memorial, when completed, will be located in Soldiers Field Park in Rochester. I have the honor and privilege of being a board member of this foundation. To be part of a group that is making a local memorial for Deputy Kruegel and Officer Meyer a reality is truly an honor!
On Friday, May 18, at 5:30 p.m., there will be a local Law Enforcement Memorial Program held at the Soldiers Field Memorial, 300 SW 7th St., Rochester. The service will be held outside, with a rain-out site also available. The public is invited to this event.