'Celebrate the good that they’ve done': TCSO to honor fallen members

It’s National Police Week, and agencies around the country are honoring their fallen officers.

In Green Country, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the local Fraternal Order of Police, and loved ones will take the time on May 16 to remember their own.

Every time a TCSO deputy dies in the line of duty, a tree is planted for them in Chandler Park. Their name is also added to the wall of the fallen officer’s memorial in Washington, D.C.

“We just honor the officers that have worked for us over the years and given the ultimate sacrifice, meaning they laid their life on the line to protect others,” Sgt. LaMont Hill, president of FOP Lodge 188, told 2 News.

They’ll gather on Wednesday morning for a ceremony to pay tribute to their fellow members who died while serving the people of Tulsa County.

13 members of TCSO have died in the line of duty since 1909.

Tulsa County Sheriff's Office

The most recent was Sgt. John Harris , who contracted Covid-19 while on the job and died Aug. 19, 2021. He was 43 years old.

“I mean, it’s somber, obviously—you know—because we’re talking about people who are no longer with us," Hill noted. "But we still get to celebrate the good that they’ve done, like I said, by making that ultimate sacrifice for others.”

National Police Week is when law enforcement are recognized for their service.

While there have been heated discussions about police in recent years, TCSO wants the public to know that—despite the rhetoric—they are committed to keeping them safe.

“It [National Police Week] is big right now because sometimes law enforcement doesn’t have the— we don’t have the brightest light on us in certain situations," said Hill. "And we want people to understand that, despite what you hear on TV or read on the internet or Facebook, we are still here to help—a vast majority of us are here to help.”

The ceremony is open to the public and will happen inside the Chandler Park Community Center at 11am on Wednesday.

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