ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week joined Maryland State Police, retired state troopers, civilian personnel, deputy state fire marshals, and police survivor families to honor those who gave their lives in the line of duty at the Maryland State Police Fallen Heroes ceremony.
The ceremony honored the 43 state troopers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Maryland, two troopers who were killed while on active military duty in World War II, and one fallen deputy state fire marshal.
“Today, I say to the families whether you’ve lost a wife, or a father, or a brother, or a daughter or a son, know that they are with you, now and always. And know that their legacy endures,” said Gov. Moore. “Their courage speaks to the courage of all of our men and women in law enforcement, who stand watch over our communities. Their actions speak to what heroism is all about.”
The ceremony, held at the Maryland State Police headquarters memorial garden, took place in the quadrangle among three fallen heroes monuments.
The largest of the three monuments, built by the Maryland State Police Alumni Association, displays the members of the Maryland Department of State Police who lost their lives while serving the people of Maryland. The memorial was designed by the late Lt. John Sawa, just months before his son, Trooper First Class John Sawa, was struck and killed by an impaired driver on I-95 in Havre de Grace.
Adjacent to the memorial is a monument dedicated to two Maryland State Troopers who were drafted into military service during World War II and lost their lives in Europe while serving our nation; and a monument dedicated to a chief deputy state fire marshal from the Office of the State Fire Marshal who lost his life while serving our state.
“Today is the most important day of the year for the Maryland State Police,” said Maryland Department of State Police Superintendent Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. “Family members, loved ones, friends and fellow troopers and deputies of those whose names on these memorials will always be a part of our family.”
Maryland State Police officials say they pledge to never forget Maryland’s fallen heroes or their families, vowing to proudly uphold their tradition of service and sacrifice as Maryland’s Finest.
