CALDWELL, Idaho — The Canyon County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony was held Friday afternoon, and it was the seventh year for the event that honors our fallen heroes.
Seventy-two Idaho law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty. At the Canyon Hill Church of the Nazarene in Caldwell, every name was read -with a rose placed in honor of their sacrifice.
Several people spoke before the gesture of gratitude, including Rev. Bill Roscoe with the Boise Rescue Mission, Col. Kidrick Wills from Idaho State Police, and Chief Deputy Marv Dashiell with the Canyon County Sheriff's Office.
Dashiell said it's important to recognize those who have lost their lives in the line of duty, but unfortunately many have also lost their lives to suicide. He said thankfully more mental health help is coming.
"I was impressed this year to see our Legislature move forward in passing a bill to recognize PTSD, PTSI, as a workman's compensation qualifying event," Dashiell said. "Hopefully this will assist those first responders who are suffering on the inside and didn't have opportunities or resources available to them in the past and allow them to get help before making the decision to end their own lives."
In addition to honoring the 72 law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in Idaho, a list was presented of officers in the United States who have died so far this year in the line of duty: Forty-four human officers and five K9's.
Those who spoke at the ceremony said they couldn't be able to do such a dangerous job without the support from their families and the community.