Sheriff Wayne Ivey To Keynote National Police Memorial Service At Police Hall of Fame

By  //  May 20, 2016

Memorial Service set FRIDAY 7:30 – 9 P.M.

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Premier law enforcement leadership training organization asks sheriff wayne ivey to provide keynote address to law enforcement leaders from around the world.

Memorial Service Will Honor Our Great Heroes Who Have Made the Ultimate Sacrifice

During the past year I was blessed and honored to serve as the keynote speaker for the National FBI LEEDA and FBI National Academy Conferences about the meaning of serving as a Law Enforcement Officer.

This week, I was again requested to provide the keynote address for the National Police Memorial at the American Police Hall of Fame. On each occasion, my messages align with my personal beliefs and experiences as a 36 year Law Enforcement Officer, and even deeper, about the dangers that Law Enforcement Officers face in today’s society.

Each year we come together to honor those who worked alongside us and who each made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their communities. It’s a time of sadness, a time of reflection and honor, a time of pride, and a time for each of us to be surrounded by others who feel the same pain.

Unfortunately, it’s also a time that has become all too familiar in our society. I realized this first hand when recently I asked my daughter Janna to write a song about Law Enforcement Officers who are taken from us in the line of duty.

In trying to help her capture the true essence of law enforcement funerals, I began to tell her that she should include the historical traditions of the service such as badges draped with mourning bands, Honor Guard, Mounted Patrol with a rider less horse, the caisson, pipes and drums playing amazing grace, the folded flag presentation, Taps, the 21 gun salute, a flyover, and a forever end of service dispatched across the communication channels.

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As I finished being a father and trying to explain to my daughter what it all means, she said something that made me realize just how commonplace such funerals unfortunately are today.

She said, “Dad, you do realize that I have been to so many funerals for fallen Law Enforcement Officers that I know exactly when to brace myself for the most impacting and emotional parts of the service. I actually try to prepare myself for the 21-gun salute and playing of Taps because they are so emotional and I hurt so deeply for the officer’s family and friends.”

As a result of my request and her own love of our profession, Janna wrote a beautiful and touching song entitled “Heart Bleeds Blue” that she will perform for the very first time at the Police Hall of Fame Memorial on Friday night.

The song amazingly captures the deep emotions of how our heroes lived, loved, and served to protect their communities.

ABOVE VIDEO: Lyrics and music written and performed by Janna Ivey and Cpl. Jay Martinez.

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Janna Ivey wrote a beautiful and touching song entitled “Heart Bleeds Blue” that she will perform for the very first time at the Police Hall of Fame Memorial on Friday night. (Space Coast Daily image)

You see, after attending so many funerals over the years, I forgot for a moment that my daughter, my family, my friends and our citizens are just as emotionally connected to the death of our heroes as our law enforcement family.

I may have momentarily neglected to remember just how deeply we are all impacted at each and every loss and funeral, but I can assure you that I have never forgotten any of the funerals I have attended. For it is our duty to never forget those who have proudly served and laid down their lives for another.

Too Many Officer’s Funerals

We honor these Heroes along with their families who will forever be remembered for their sacrifices and support. (Images for Space Coast Daily)
Barbara Pill
Barbara Pill

Brevard County Heroes are Officer Joseph Pellicano, Melbourne Police Department – 1986, Officer Gerald Johnson, Palm Bay Police Department – 1987, Officer Ronald Grogan, Palm Bay Police Department– 1987, Officer Philip Flagg, Satellite Beach Police Department – 1992, Sergeant Ernest Hartmann, Satellite Beach Police Department – 1992, Officer Stephen House, Titusville Police Department – 1989, Officer Jack Schnell, Titusville Police Department – 1982, Officer George Hanchley, Kennedy Space Center Security Police – 1986, Officer Charles Autry, Cocoa Beach Police Department – 1990, Lieutenant Roy Blake, Cocoa Police Department – 1954, Trooper Halley Strickland, FHP – 1954, Trooper Joseph Sawtell Jr. – 1966, Lieutenant Amos Cox, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office – 1965, Deputy Robert Nicol, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office – 1987, Deputy Ray Warner, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office – 1996, Sergeant Lucille Ross, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office – 2004, and Deputy Barbara Pill.

PRIDE IN WEARING THE UNIFORM

Since 2005, our great nation has lost 1,627 of its peacekeepers and protectors in line of duty deaths. That is 1,627 too many. That is 1,627 Angels who now watch over us.

I say celebrate because I truly believe that sometimes during memorials we have a tendency to focus on the loss of our loved ones rather than on the great times we had together, the times we enjoyed and the memories that made each and every one of them so very special to us.

I think we forget that each man and woman who’s name will be etched on the memorial and read during Police Memorial Services believed in living their life to the fullest. We sometimes forget that they would never want us to hurt for them or replay in our minds the pain they may have felt when they were taken from us at the end of their watch.

Instead, I think they would want, no, I know they would want for us to remember their pride in wearing their uniform, the camaraderie they shared with their squads, and how proud they were of the great responsibilities bestowed upon them.

They would want us to reflect on their lives and their amazing service, not on the moment in time their duty ended. They would want us to celebrate the good times rather than relive the pain and loss.

Remember, this unique group of men and women are heroes, no matter what color of uniform or shape of badge, heroes amaze us, they stand to protect us, and they love us! At most memorials we come prepared to mourn and weep for those who proudly served and who gave their lives in the line of duty.

We arrive prepared to brace ourselves for the ceremonial aspects of the service hoping and praying for peace and closure. So today I ask you to please forget the pain and join together as we celebrate the lives of our fallen heroes by remembering them as they were, before they were taken from us.

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Let’s smile as we remember how excited they were when they came home wearing their uniform for the very first time. Let’s remember how proud we were of them as we watched them take their constitutional oath of office to serve and protect. Let’s remember the sound in their voices when they told us about their first arrest or their new partner.

In fact, let’s remember everything about them that we continue to love each and every day.

For that is the real meaning of life. We live our lives and create memories, those insignificant moments at the time that bring the biggest smiles. The fun and happy thoughts, the memories that truly define who we are, not how long we were here.

Let’s remember why they chose to do this honorable job, why they took so much pride in doing it, and why we are so proud of them for their outstanding accomplishments.

COMPASSION, COURAGE, PROFESSIONALISM

During this national memorial week, let’s remember them for their compassion, courage, professionalism and more than anything else, for how much they loved us. Why, because their service will never end, as their memories guide us daily. Today, I promise you our heroes will be looking down on us.

As they look down I’m sure they will say things such as, “look at my wife smiling as she recalls our first date and wedding, look at my husband as he beams with pride remembering the very first time I told him I loved him, look at my Mom as she laughs over me dancing to my favorite teenage song, look at my Dad as he remembers my first home run and look how my children are growing into wonderful young men and women.”

For those who attend memorial services throughout the country I ask you to hold your head high because you are the parent, grandparent, spouse, son, daughter or friend of a fallen hero.

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They are with God now, they are at peace, and right now at this very moment they are smiling down upon us saying “thank you for standing with me, thank you for believing in me, thank you for understanding my desire to serve as a law enforcement officer, thank you for remembering me and above all else, thank you for loving me.”

For most, the torment of losing a loved one is the constant thought that there was never that opportunity to say goodbye, to hug them one last time, to tell them how much they mean to us and that we love them dearly.

As we celebrate the lives of our heroes this year we pray that they know just how much we do love them and how proud we are that we had an opportunity to make so many meaningful memories together.

This week as part of National Law Enforcement Memorial Week we say thank you for your service, and rest easy hero, because we each have a lifetime of fond memories to hold, until we meet again.

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ABOVE MAP: As part of National Law Enforcement Memorial Week, on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m., the American Police Hall of Fame, located at 6350 Horizon Drive in Titusville, will host a Law Enforcement Memorial Service for Officers that have died in the line of duty.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has been a law enforcement officer for over three decades. Sheriff Ivey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Daytona State College in Management and Supervision. Sheriff Ivey’s background in law enforcement is inclusive of Management, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics, Patrol Services, Public Integrity Investigations, and Corrections.

Sheriff Wayne Ivey

Prior to being elected in 2012, Sheriff Ivey served the citizens of the State of Florida as a Resident Agent in Charge for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. As a member of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sheriff Ivey developed and created the country’s first ever statewide Task Force on Identity Theft.

That same year the Task Force was named one of the top five most innovative programs in the country by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and investigated approximately 44 million dollars in fraud cases. Additionally, as a member of FDLE, Sheriff Ivey created the Child Abduction Response Team (C.A.R.T) that re-defined the way Child Abduction cases are conducted throughout the country today.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has been a law enforcement officer for over three decades. Sheriff Ivey is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Daytona State College in Management and Supervision. Sheriff Ivey’s background in law enforcement is inclusive of Management, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics, Patrol Services, Public Integrity Investigations, and Corrections.

The program was later selected as the most innovative program in the country by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is now used as a nationwide model in the response and investigation of child abductions.

Sheriff Ivey has testified before the United States Congress on law enforcement related matters and has extensive experience in the area of Public Integrity Investigations. Sheriff Ivey was honored as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Special Agent of the Year (1996) and was also recognized by the Commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for his Outstanding Contributions to Criminal Justice. In August of 2011 Sheriff Ivey was honored by the National Organization of Victims Advocacy for his work at the national level as an advocate of victim’s rights and protection.

Sheriff Ivey speaks regularly on topics such as Identity Theft, Crime in America, Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, and Self Defense through Mental Preparedness. Sheriff Ivey firmly believes that Crime Prevention and Education are vital to reduce our crime rate and protect our community.