BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On Thursday, BPD, KCSO, and CHP held individual memorial ceremonies before law enforcement agencies from all over Kern County came together to honor those who have died in the line of duty.
- Erik Nelson tells 23ABC, as he remembers his brother, Bakersfield Police Officer David Nelson, who died in the line of duty, that all his brother wanted to do was make a difference in his community.
- KCSO Honor Guard Sergeant Dustin Contreras took time to remember Deputy Phillip Campas, a member of the KCSO SWAT and Honor Guard, noting his legacy continues to inspire current officers.
- In talking with various agencies across Kern County throughout the day, nearly all noted they're thankful that the community at large appreciates them and the work that they do.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
On what many would consider a normal Thursday, law enforcement officers tab it as a solemn one. I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter. Law enforcement agencies all over Kern County honored fallen members of their departments before convening together.
The morning started with the Bakersfield Police Department at 7 am, taking time to honor members of their department who were killed in the line of duty. In 2015, Bakersfield Police Officer David Nelson was involved in a vehicle crash while pursuing a vehicle. Officers were able to pull him from the crash, however, Nelson died a short time later. Nelson's older brother Erik said his brother just wanted to make a difference in his community.
"He was always there for, like, the kids in the community. Like I said, the example, I know that he stopped and took time out of his day to make a difference and to, like, show a positive reflection of a police officer was."
Just over an hour later, at the southern edge of Bakersfield city limits, the California Highway Patrol made a similar acknowledgement. CHP Bakersfield Captain Gil Piersol conveying an anecdote to the audience in attendance,
"A very famous person, once made the quote, a good soldier never dies, they fade away, I really feel like, and it's days like this, that we can't let that happen," said Piersol.
Rounding out the morning in Oildale, the Kern County Sheriff's Office held a ceremony in front of their memorial, with Deputy Phillip Campas's death still fresh on many minds. Campas, a member of the KCSO SWAT Team and Honor Guard, and, according to Honor Guard Sergeant Dustin Contreras, Campas helped propel both of those groups to new heights. Though Campas may be gone physically, his spirit still lives in what they do and how they carry themselves.
"When he did leave us, we knew that we had to continue his legacy in the performances that we do, and that's for every funeral of every fallen deputy or every fallen officer throughout the state. We carry him with us every time."
The services of the day culminating in a county-wide ceremony at the peace officer's memorial in front of the Kern County Superior Court in Bakersfield. Across Thursday morning and afternoon, we spoke with various members across several agencies, and one comment they all seemed to make is their overwhelmingly thankful for the community support in the job that they do.
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