Suffolk honors fallen officers, families carry legacy of sacrifice
An annual ceremony paid tribute to fallen officers and to the families who continue to grieve their loss.
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A solemn tribute honored Suffolk County police officers killed in the line of duty, as families gathered to remember their loved ones and reflect on lives lost but not forgotten.
The annual ceremony paid tribute to fallen officers and to the families who continue to grieve their loss.
“We want to show these survivors that we never forget about their sacrifice and their loved ones,” Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said.
Family members stood together in remembrance, listening as the names of the fallen were read aloud. Many later placed wreaths in a memorial garden outside Suffolk police headquarters in Yaphank.
“These families live with this sacrifice that their loved ones made, they live with it every day,” said Louis Civello, president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association. “Every time they miss an anniversary, every time they miss a birthday, a holiday, a milestone, their loved one is gone.”
Thirty Suffolk police officers were honored at the ceremony, a tradition families return to year after year.
Among them was the family of Patrolman Albert Willets, who was killed in 1971 in Selden when a car crashed into his motorcycle.
“They did a beautiful job with the service once again,” said Kevin Willets of Water Mill.
Support for families extends well beyond the ceremony. Organizations, such as the Suffolk County Police Memorial Fund, provide year-round assistance to surviving spouses and children.
“We provide them with $100,000 a year toward their education,” said Craig Vasey, of the memorial fund. “We built and financed this park that you’re standing in now.”
Leaders say honoring the fallen also means looking ahead.
“We have to honor their sacrifice by thinking about what it means and making sure we don’t have more police officers killed in the line of duty,” Civello said.
