End of watch

VISALIA — Several hundred local dignitaries, community members and uniformed Tulare County peace officers gathered Wednesday morning at the base of the Peace Officer Monument near the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department Headquarter’s to honor the memory of 23 Tulare County Sheriff’s department officers, California Highway Patrol officers, National Park officer and city police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“We come together collectively to pay tribute to the Tulare County Law Enforcement Officers who have been lost in the line of duty,” said Captain Dahl Cleek, Tulare County Sheriff Department. “There is not a day that goes by that we don’t remember those officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice. We admire them and are grateful for their service and the service of all who wear the badge.”

The emotional start to the memorial included a TC Sheriff’s Department Aero Squadron flyover, the presenting of a floral wreath by TCSO correctional deputies, Chris and Joseph Landin, and the Posting of Colors, with Selma Police Department Officer Barry Putnam playing “Taps” on bagpipes as the flag was lowered to half staff.

After an invocation by Chaplain Kevin Mizner, TC Sheriff’s Department and a special proclamation by Board of Supervisor’s Chairwoman Connie Conway, Sheriff Bill Wittman took the podium and talked about Tulare County’s most recent loss — Detective Kent Haws of the TC Sheriff’s Department.

“I watched in vain as our officers and deputies knelt beside him, trying to keep him alive. But it was not to be,” Wittman said to a silent crowd. “The loss of an officer in this county means something to every officer in this county.”

Wittman continued, talking about the lives of the widows and the children that the fallen officers left behind, saying that there should be a Congressional Medal of Honor for the wives and mothers of the officers — and a Purple Heart for the children.

“Every year as we have this memorial and I see the children, it breaks my heart that their father won’t be there to stand beside them,” Wittman said. “But deputies will be there. We’re a large family.”

People in the audience wiped away tears and sniffling could be heard through the crowd, as Lt. Jim Hinesly started the “End of Watch” roll call, reading the names, department and the date of the officer’s “End of Watch” as family members placed white carnations with black ribbons on the monument.

The service concluded with “Amazing Grace” played on bagpipes.

“It’s hard to talk after a service like this. Last year when Detective Haws was killed in the line of duty, it was a personal loss to all of us in Tulare County,” Dist. 1 Supervisor Allen Ishida said. “It makes me sad to see the young boy go up and place the flower on the memorial. But we appreciate what the officers are doing for us in Tulare County. We appreciate the risk that they take every day when they come to work.”

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047 or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.