People in Southwest Florida were remembering Wednesday morning law enforcement officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Southwest Florida Public Service Academy hosted a memorial service at on Wednesday, May 16th at 9:00 a.m. in Centennial Park in Fort Myers. The ceremony was open to the public.
The annual service coincides with National Police Week, an observance that pays tribute to local, state and federal peace officers who have died in the line of duty.
The memorial service honored deputies, troopers and officers in Lee County who were killed in the line of duty. To date, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has lost 9 deputies, including a canine. The Fort Myers Police Department has 6 lost officers, also including a canine. The Florida Highway Patrol has lost one trooper.
For Wednesday morning's ceremony, Mayor Randy Henderson read the proclamation declaring Wednesday as Peace Officers Memorial Day in Lee County.
The featured speaker for the Wednesday’s service was David Grossi, a retired lieutenant from New York City Police Department.
Lee County Sheriff's Office Line of Duty Deaths
- Deputy Sheriff Richard Eva, 2/12/72, Gunfire
- Deputy Sheriff Michael Yahl, 3/13/76, Gunfire
- Deputy Sheriff Dwight Hall, 4/11/79, Gunfire
- Corporal Ronald Fewell, 3/16/83, Gunfire
- Corporal Alfredo Banos, 1/20/01, Vehicle crash
- Deputy Sheriff Michael Shostak, 11/8/01, Vehicle crash
- K9 Alto, 4/20/03, Stabbed
- Corporal Patrick Healey, 3/13/04, Heart attack
- Deputy Sheriff Margena Nunez, 10/22/06, Vehicular assault
Fort Myers Police Department Line of Duty Deaths
- Lieutenant Matthew Hisler, 1/3/30, Gunfire
- Sergeant Logan Scott, 4/3/81, Vehicle crash
- Detective Mark Bolhouse, 1/19/88, Heart Attack
- Police Officer Daniel Starks, 10/25/03, Vehicle pursuit
- Police Officer Andrew Widman, 7/18/08, Gunfire
- K9 Rosco, 9/7/10, Gunfire
