VISALIA (KMJ) — Tulare County’s law enforcement paid their respects Wednesday morning to those who lost their lives in the line of duty. Personnel paused to remember local, state, and federal law enforcement who made the ultimate sacrifice for safety.
The crowd, which included officers from CHP and local police departments, gathered outside the Peace Officer Memorial in Visalia.
Deputies from Tulare County Sheriff’s Office were also present. Sheriff Mike Boudreaux told those gathered that law enforcement will always be impartial towards the public they serve.
“They do not hesitate, they do not care about your political beliefs or religious preference. They don’t care about the color of your skin.
“They just care that you need help, and they’ve donned this uniform to be there.”
The ceremony ended with Porterville Police Chief Eric Kroutil reading the names of those who were killed in the line of duty in Tulare County. He started with Tulare County Sheriff’s Deputy John N. Wren, who passed away on July 5th 1889, and ended with Deputy Scott A. Ballantyne, who died in a plane crash on February 10th 2016.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
