SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony is a bit more emotional for many in the Sacramento area as law enforcement and other loved ones pay their final respects to those who fell in the line of duty in 2018.
“It’s the only profession [outside of the military] where another human being may want to hurt or kill me during the course of my day,” reflected Kevin Mickelson, president of the California Peace Officers' Memorial Foundation.
“I think that people really need to stop and think about that,” he added.
The dangerous reality of the profession is the reason why many are in attendance to recognize the fallen officers. While the memorial service recognizes all the officers lost throughout California in 2018, half happened not far from Sacramento.
When is the ceremony and vigil?
The vigil will take place on at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5, and the enrollment ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 6.
What exactly is the ceremony?
The ceremony pays final respects in grand fashion to the officers who lost their lives in 2018. Among them are California Highway Patrol's Officer Kirk Griess, Stanislaus County's Deputy Tony Hinostroza, Newman's Corporal Ronil Singh, and Sacramento County's Deputy Mark Stasyuk. Each will be memorialized with a bronze plaque on the memorial monument.
“It hits a little closer to home for some rather than others every year,” Kevin Mickelson said, California Peace Officer Memorial Foundation President.
“For me, yes [it is more emotional],” he added. “It is because it’s my own department, but it’s always going to be somebody’s department."
Families, communities, and thousands of law enforcement will be at the State Capitol Grounds paying their respects in both a vigil and enrollment ceremony.
Officer Natalie Corona, whose death in January resonated well beyond the city of Davis, will take her place on the memorial next year.
Where is ceremony and vigil held?
The event will be located near the intersection of 10th and Capitol in Sacramento, across the street from the Capitol steps and the California Supreme Court building.
What happens during the vigil and the enrollment ceremony?
A candlelight vigil will be set up and open to the public to honor fallen law enforcement like Deputy Stasyuk. The vigil is about 45 minutes in length.
The next day there'll be a memorial procession for law enforcement vehicles and an indoor ceremony that will see the families of the fallen officers take the Walk of Honor from the Capitol Building to the memorial monument.
After a few words from speakers, the families will lay a rose at the foot of the monument for their fallen officer. Included in the events are a riderless horse presentation, the folding of the United States Flag, dove release, and 21-gun salute.
While the enrollment ceremony is a ticketed event, Mickelson says that status could change on the morning of the event.
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In this video, ABC10 shares moments from the funerals of CHP Officer Kirk Griess, Deputy Mark Stasyuk, Deputy Tony Hinostroza, and Corporal Ronil Singh, along with and a moment from Officer Natalie Corona's funeral earlier this year. Though Corona will not be honored in 2019, she will be honored in 2020.