Honoring America’s Fallen Police Officer Heroes

When a police officer is killed there is an eternal wound to the family, colleagues, community, and the heart of America.

The on-going dangers of protecting American communities continue with no end in sight.

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, which honors all of law enforcement heroes who have fallen in the line of duty, 2018 has had a tragic start.

There are already fifteen line of duty deaths including a 9/11 related illness, automobile crashes, gunfire, and being struck by a vehicle.

Fallen Officers: Rest in Eternal Peace

All who have offered the ultimate sacrifice protecting and serving our communities deserve our eternal gratitude and heartfelt prayers.

We must also honor their memory with actions toward their loved ones that express honor, compassion, and dignity.

America would quickly deteriorate into anarchy, disorder, and chaos without these ethical protectors serving our communities.

Here are the names of America’s fallen officers who have died in 2018:

• Police Officer Anthony Morelli, Westerville Division of Police, Ohio. End of Watch: Saturday, Feb. 10. Officer Morelli, 54 years-old, served for 29 years before being shot and killed after responding to a 911 hang-up call. He is survived by his wife and two children.

• Police Officer Eric Joering, Westerville Division of Police, Ohio. End of Watch: Saturday, Feb. 10. Officer Joering, 39 years-old, served for 17 years and was killed by gunfire with Officer Anthony Morelli while responding to a 911 hang-up call. He is survived by his wife, four daughters, and his K-9 partner Sam.

• Police Officer Chase Maddox, Locust Grove Police Department, Georgia. End of Watch: Friday, Feb. 10. Officer Maddox, 26 years-old, was shot and killed while assisting two deputies from the Henry County Sheriff’s Office serve a warrant. He had served his department for five years and is survived by his expectant wife and one child.

• Police Officer David Sherrard, Richardson Police Department, Texas. End of Watch: Wednesday, Feb. 17. Officer Sherrard, 37 years-old, was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance at an apartment complex. He had served his department for 13 years and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

• Reserve Officer Jarate Dewayen Condit, Ashen Police Department, Oklahoma. End of Watch: Tuesday, Feb. 6. Reserve Officer Condit, 23 years-old, was killed in a vehicle crash in route to mandatory training. He was also a volunteer firefighter and survived by his young child and parents.

• Deputy Sheriff Steven Belanger, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California. End of Watch: Tuesday, Feb. 6. Officer Belanger succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on Dec. 10. 1994 when he was ambushed while conducting a traffic stop. At that time he was shot in the back of the head, and he remained confined to a wheelchair and in need of constant care for over 23 years until his passing. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

• Deputy Sheriff Micah Flick, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado. End of Watch: Monday, Feb. 5. Deputy Sheriff Micah, 34 years-old, was shot and killed while conducting an auto theft investigation. He was killed on the 11th anniversary of starting with his department and survived by his wife and 7 year-old twins.

• Police Officer Glenn Anthony, Doss, Jr., Detroit Police Department, Michigan. End of Watch: Sunday, Jan. 28. Officer Doss Jr., 25 years-old, succumbed to a gunshot wound while responding to a domestic disturbance call. He had been with the Detroit Police Department for two years and is survived by his 9-month-old, girlfriend, and parents.

• Deputy Sheriff Heath McDonald Gumm, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado. End of Watch: Wednesday, Jan. 24. Deputy Sheriff Gumm was shot and killed during a foot pursuit after responding to an assault in progress. He is survived by his wife, parents, sister, and grandmother.

• Deputy U.S. Marshal Christopher David Hill, United States Marshals Service. End of Watch: Thursday, Jan. 18. Deputy U.S. Marshal Hill, 45 years-old, was shot and killed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania while attempting to serve an arrest warrant. He was a U.S. Army veteran who had served the U.S. Marshals Service for 11 years. Deputy U.S. Marshal Hill is survived by his wife and two children.

• Detective Michael R. Doty, York County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina. End of Watch: Wednesday, Jan. 17. Detective Doty, 37 years-old, succumbed to gunshot wounds while searching for an armed and dangerous subject who had shot a York County Sheriff’s canine handler the day before. Detective Doty had served with the York County Sheriff’s Office for 12 years.

• Deputy Sheriff Daniel A. McCartney, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Washington. End of Watch: Monday, Jan. 28. Deputy Sheriff McCartney, 34 years-old, was shot and killed while responding to a burglary in progress after engaging in foot pursuit of the subject. He was a U.S. Navy veteran who is survived by his wife and three sons.

• Officer Chris Beaudion, Monroe Police Department, Louisiana. End of Watch: Jan. 7. While in his patrol car, Officer Beaudion, 26 years-old, was killed in a single vehicle crash causing him to suffer fatal injuries. He is survived by his wife, two children, and parents.

• Lieutenant Christopher Robateau, Jersey City Police Department, New Jersey. End of Watch: Friday, Jan. 5. Lt. Robateau was struck and killed by a vehicle as he rendered assistance to another driver involved in an accident. He was in uniform and traveling to work when he was struck. Lt. Robateau is survived by his wife and three children.

• Trooper Michael J. Anson, New York State Police, New York. End of Watch: Tuesday, Jan. 2. Trooper Anson, 56 years-old, died as a result of cancer that he developed following his 9/11 search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center. He is survived by his wife, three children, and brothers.

Final Reflections

Each of these heroes protecting and serving our communities deserve America’s eternal gratitude, remembrance, and respect.

We must also be forever mindful of their families and support them with compassion, sensitivity, and dignity.

America is the land of the free and home of the brave because of these faithful servants.

We will forever honor them, and hold their families, friends, and law enforcement colleagues in our prayers.

Related Coverage:

Honoring Our Fallen Police, Firefighters, Military

National Police Week: Honoring Ethical Protectors

Dallas Police Tragedy: Healing, Unity, Renewal

Fallen Police Officers: Honoring American Sentinels

Note Well:

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Vincent is author of 250 articles, including his weekly column titled “Reawakening the Nation” for the Epoch Times; 35 countries, 21 languages, and growing. As a national speaker, he has addressed audiences nationwide on issues critical to America including ethical leadership, violence prevention, and crisis planning.

Photos:

1. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund candlelight vigil, May 13, 2016, National Mall, Washington D.C. (Courtesy FBI)
2. Officer Anthony Morelli, Westerville Division of Police. (Courtesy Westerville Division of Police, Ohio)