SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KERO) — A ceremony where families of fallen peace officers were recognized was held at the Peace Officer Memorial Monument in Sacramento on Mon, May 8.
The Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony is an annual tradition that memorializes the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our community.
Hundreds of law enforcement personnel stood in solidarity as a riderless horse with empty boots and backward stirrups emerged to symbolize a fallen soldier looking back one last time.
Governor Gavin Newsom thanked the fallen officers at the memorial ceremony.
"These officers did more than just reflect the heart of California, they were its spine," said Newsom. "They held us all up. They deserve not to be just remembered but to be revered, and their loved ones."
The release of doves and the presentation of the colors at the base of the monument wrapped up the ceremony, a tribute that is a tradition at the state Capitol for 45 years.
