La Crosse-area law enforcement holds yearly ceremony for fallen officers

Law enforcement officers from around La Crosse County gathered at La Crosse’s Riverside Park on Thursday for yearly Police Memorial Day ceremonies.

The service honoring fallen officers happens each year on May 15th, and in the county, the event is held at different locations on a seven-year rotation schedule. Last year’s ceremony was held in West Salem.

La Crosse police chief Shawn Kudron says the police memorial services date back a few decades.

“This goes all the way back to 1962, and then President Kennedy made it official in 1963,” Kudron said, “and he actually made it official to honor the week that May 15th falls in as Peace Officers Memorial Week, and May 15th to be Peace Officers Memorial Day.”

La Crosse County Sheriff John Siegel spoke about the value of recognizing the risk that officers take on the job.

“I think we all know that when we put the badge on and our uniforms on that there is a chance that you could lose your life in the line of duty,” Siegel said. “I don’t think it’s something that officers think about every day when they go to work, but I think it’s something that we are cognizant of.”

During the ceremony at the Riverside bandshell, Kudron paid tribute to “brave and hard-working” law enforcement workers. Viterbo University president Rick Trietley also spoke, recalling a neighborhood police officer in New York State when he was young.

Trietley said “Officer Austin” was engaging, kind, and friendly, and remembers that he and other kids loved looking in the squad car when it was parked at the officer’s home.