One by one, the names of 56 New Hampshire law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty echoed through the spring air.
In their memory, relatives and members of their former police departments stuck red flowers in the center of a white star-shaped bouquet. The music of “Taps” and “Amazing Grace,” performed by New Hampshire Police Association on bagpipes and marching bass drums, rang out before and after officers’ names were read aloud.
Behind the State House Friday morning, state officials, residents and uniformed officers gathered to honor fallen service members for the 34th annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony.
Londonderry Police Chaplain Jerry Goncalo opened with reverent prayer.
“As a nation and Granite Staters, we gather each year for this solemn ceremony to honor our fallen,” Goncalo said. “Their service has left an indelible mark on those who love them and those who serve with them and those they protected. Their sacrifice reminds us that there is no routine day for law enforcement officers.”
The New Hampshire Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Association held its first remembrance ceremony in 1993, and two years later, a permanent memorial was built as the focal point for future ceremonies.
The names of 55 officers who have died in the line of duty over the past 128 years are inscribed on the inside of the memorial’s walls. A new name received recognition this year: Augustus Farmer of the Bow Police Department, who died in 1893. Farmer had attempted to enforce order during an ongoing dispute involving a vicious dog, whose owners brutally attacked him.
“His story is a testament to the bravery and dedication of all law enforcement officers, and it’s our duty to ensure that his legacy is properly honored,” said Kevin Jordan, a colonel with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department and president of the memorial association. “Like the many others honored on this memorial wall, Officer Augustus Farmer made the ultimate sacrifice while attempting to enforce laws and ensure the safety of New Hampshire citizens, and this sacrifice should be held in high esteem.”
Jordan himself was held up as an example at the ceremony. Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who delivered the keynote speech, said he has “stood shoulder-to-shoulder in support of New Hampshire law enforcement officers across this state.”
“Every year we gather to honor the heroes etched on this beautiful monument,” she said. “Each of them answered the call to serve and made the ultimate sacrifice, so that the rest of us could be safe and free. They represent the very best of New Hampshire, selfless individuals who place the safety of others above their own.”
