(Image source from: WSB-TV)

Atlanta:
The 27th Annual Atlanta Police Memorial Service was hosted by Atlanta Police Department on Tuesday to pay accolade to the lives of 88 fallen police officers.

Members of Atlanta Police Department gathered Tuesday morning for a parade from City of Atlanta’s Public Safety Headquarters on Peachtree Street to the City Hall Atrium on Trinity Avenue.

The service ended around 11 a.m. with a roll call of every officer, from 1872 to the last two officers killed in a helicopter crash in 2012.

Arthur Blank, owner and chairman of Blank Family of Businesses was a keynote speech maker for the event.  

“Each name on that list was a mother or father, a wife or husband, child had friends who loved them, who were proud of them and prayed for their safe return,” Arthur Blank said.

Additive speakers commemorating Atlanta Police Department’s fallen heroes included Chief Erika Shields, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, City Council President Felicia Moore, and City Council Public Safety Chairman Dustin Hillis.

“Their line of work is so crucial, every minute, every second counts. I just thank the City of Atlanta for having this ceremony every year and I will not miss it each year. I will not,” Vivan Halford said.

One name was included to the list of fallen officers after span of  87 years. John William Barfield who was killed in the line of duty in 1931 on Peachtree Street. His killer turned out to be his partner. Four generations of his family attended the ceremony, including his 90-year-old grandson.

By Sowmya Sangam