Special ceremony in Racine honors fallen officers

RACINE -- Tuesday, May 15th is "Peace Officers Memorial Day," and law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty were honored all over the country. A special ceremony was held in Racine for those who have lost their lives protecting their communities.

Not only is May 15th "Peace Officers Memorial Day," but this week is "Police Week." One of the fallen officers remembered during the ceremony in Racine Tuesday was John Anderson's father, who died in Racine in 1935.

"When I was six years old, and he's on the monument and we've got a stone on the ground with all the kids names," Anderson said.

Anderson has a son who's an officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Anderson says his son has been wounded a few times in the line of duty. For Anderson, Racine's ceremony Tuesday took on special significance.

"It's important because these people protected you and served you and they should be honored. When you give your life for someone, that's the ultimate sacrifice," Anderson said.

The ceremony was open to the public, and a number of people came. "It's a great feeling for me to see people come out and support an event like this. A lot of officers don't see that support. From time to time we respond to situations in people's lives who are at their lowest moment sometimes," Racine Police Sgt. Martin Pavilonis said.

Racine's mayor said although the event was focused on fallen officers, it was also an opportunity to thank the ones who are serving today. "We all pray that you all come home every night safe, and that there's less and less work for you, because if we have a safe city, we have a better city. I know that we have a better city because of you," Racine Mayor Richard Dickert said.

163 officers lost their lives in the United States in 2011. The leading cause was shootings, followed by auto crashes.