Police Week in the Permian Basin

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - In honor of National Police Week, today at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Odessa, fourteen of our fallen officers were honored here in the Permian Basin.

Today officers not just from Midland/Odessa, but officers from across the entire state were honored for their sacrifice.

Those who were honored for their end of watch spanned from 1958 to 2021 and all of them made an impact on not just their families but also on their fellow policemen and women.

Whether it was a day ago or 50 years ago the pain of losing a loved one never goes away.

For those that serve and protect here in West Texas, it doesn’t get any easier seeing a fellow officer finish their watch

“Every day, it feels like yesterday every day. It’ll never leave. It’ll always be there” said Seth Herman, Midland Police Department Chief.

National Police Week offers honor, remembrance, and peer support while allowing law enforcement, survivors, and citizens to gather and pay homage to those who gave their lives in the line of duty.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15 as peace officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as police week.

Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world participate in a number of planned events that honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

It’s not just the Permian Basin. We honor those officers from across the state so that their loved ones and the communities they serve understand that yeah even those people in West Texas appreciate what they did” said Michael Gerke, Police Chief for the City of Odessa.

Out here in West Texas, it’s no secret the amount of support that is given to our first responders.

“So it is great to honor all those first responders that do go out and try to do the right thing day in and day out in every incident. So wonderful community support. I can’t be happier than to say I’m a part of this community” continued Gerke.

National Police Week is going on across the entire country where over 50,000 officers are celebrated.

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