Franklin Call to Duty Memorial for 13 fallen deputies rededicated
FRANKLIN, Wis. - A Milwaukee County Call to Duty Memorial rededication ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 12 in Franklin celebrated improvements made to keep the memorial around longer while honoring the 13 fallen deputies whose names are on it.
A wreath in the garden has special meaning, honoring the names on the memorial for their dedication.
Through the seasons, flowers come and go, but some things never die.
"We want to forever remember the sacrifice they made," said Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball.
It’s the kind of dedication you want set in stone. Dating back to 1915, the Call to Duty Memorial in Franklin honors 13 Milwaukee County deputies who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
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Franklin Call to Duty Memorial
"Like any child or family member of law enforcement knows, that there’s dedication there," said Scott Zylka.
Zylka’s father, Ralphy Zylka, died in a helicopter crash along with Deputy Sung Hui Bang. The sheriff’s office said they were instrumental in helping catch a murder suspect.
That happened in 2000, when Scott Zylka was just 13.
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Ralphy Zylka
"That’s one of the fantastic things about being with these guys is, I didn’t know my dad, but they did, so I get to hear his willingness to help and his dry sense of humor," said Scott Zylka. "It’s fantastic to hear that I turned out like my dad."
"I was a brand new deputy," said Captain Michael Krznarich. "Didn’t know a lot about the agency. He was kind enough to reach out and kind of mentored me, and I shared that with Scott over a conversation. I’ve always made it my goal to pay it forward and to do the same for the new people on our agency."
While the fallen deputy sheriffs’ dedication could weather most storms, the memorial honoring them needed a little upkeep.
"It was still a beautiful site, but we did have a lot of water issues," said Krznarich.
"We saw cracks and imperfections," said Sheriff Ball.
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Franklin Call to Duty Memorial
At a rededication ceremony, Sheriff Ball said a committee was able to raise enough money to prevent water damage, helping ensure that this moving memorial doesn’t go anywhere.
"It should be around forever," said Sheriff Ball.
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"Just that continued memory and knowing that my dad isn’t forgotten," said Scott Zylka.
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The sheriff’s office said the circular setup of the garden symbolizes the continuing service to the community.