At 12:00 p.m., with perfect weather and sunny, blue skies, area leaders and residents gathered near the Kenosha Public Museum to honor the fallen Kenosha County Law Enforcement Officers. Andrea Squires, the great granddaughter of fallen Kenosha Police Officer Antonio Pingitore sung the National Anthem.

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Kenosha Police Chief Patrick Patton offered some words today:

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“Good afternoon. First, I want to thank everyone that’s here in attendance today. I look over this crowd and there’s a lot of mix of city, county, state leaders. There’s legislators, there’s prosecutors, community leaders, friends and family of our officers, and citizens throughout Kenosha County who carved out a piece of their day to come here and pay a little respect to the officers who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect and serve our community. That is recognized by us and we appreciate it.

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Today, we come together to remember our fallen heroes. Those who have given everything in service to our community. We’re reminded of the profound impact that their sacrifices have had on the law enforcement community and the community that we serve. We stand here today together with heavy hearts, deepened and moved by the courage and sacrifice that they have displayed for our law enforcement family. Each name that we’ll honor today represents a story of bravery, dedication and selflessness. They are more than just officers.

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They were our friends. They are our partners. They are our family. Their legacy lives on in the values that they upheld and the lives that they have touched. We gather here collectively, either in a county, city, town or village uniform, to demonstrate the strength of our profession. Regardless of whether we carry a shield or a star, we represent the same law enforcement family.

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We are not naive to the burden of this profession and its humbling ways. So we pay tribute to our own and to appropriately honor them. Let’s renew our commitment to carry on the mission of the same dedication and honor that they did. Let us honor their sacrifices by embodying the same spirit of service and courage in our daily duties, ensuring that their legacy continues to inspire us. To the family of our loved ones and our fallen heroes, we offer our deepest sympathies and our unwavering support. Your loss is shared by us all, and we stand with you in remembrance and solidarity.

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Your loss is a debt that we can never repay, but it’s one that we acknowledge and one that we share. Today, we remember, we honor, and we pledge to never forget. This is how we ensure that while their service here is done, that their impact on us all lives on. Thank you.”

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Sheriff David W. Zoerner offered some words next:

“Thank you. Thank you, Chief. Thank you all for being here. It’s a very special time to remember. Believe it or not, my speech would be very much like Chief Patton’s. So we always have this conversation that I’ll play off of what you say and I’ll move on. 25-year career, we’ve lost several. We gather here today for a memorial, coming together to honor and pay tribute to the brave men and women that have made that sacrifice in the line of duty. This week serves as a solemn reminder of the risks and challenges faced on the road, faced in our profession, and the sacrifice that some of us give every day.

The thin blue line stands between order and chaos. Unfortunately, we’ve seen some of that here in our city. It’s comprised of individuals who embody courage, integrity, and dedication. These are the qualities that define our law enforcement officers. I look out in front of me, I see all of you, and I thank you all, every one of you. Whether it’s an elected official, someone who sacrificed time, anything.

Some of those families that we talk about, some of you have been there for them, and I thank you. Throughout our history, our officers have faced countless dangers and challenges, confronting violent criminals in an ever-violent and increasingly aggressive community in our country. Yet despite the dangers, they continue to uphold their oath, their service, their protection of us, you, and our community.

We owe them everything. Today, I want to remember and honor those that have fallen, those that have lost their lives in the line of duty. Our memorial here, their names are etched there. If you haven’t been to Washington, D.C. to see the National Memorial, please go. Their names are there as well. Each name represents a life lost, a life that’s forever been changed, a family that’s been changed, and a community that mourns the absence.

Now, I’m going to talk about that word absence real quick. This morning, I was going through this speech over and over and over. That word absence hit me. I can talk about that for a second because that’s the selfish part of this presentation from me. It’s the absence that I feel from my couple friends that I’ve lost personally. Angelina came to hug me this morning when we got here today. She said, what are you guys doing next Friday? Let’s do something. It’s the absence of these officers that doesn’t heal. It never heals. We’ve been through many things with her. She grew up, but her father wasn’t there.

Think about Jeff. So many of you loved him so deeply. That vibrant spirit, looking through the flyer, that young woman that was murdered last year on duty, that smile on her face is infectious. Her absence is going to affect everyone that knew her forever. So when I ask you to please join me in remembering them and honoring them the way the chief mentioned, please do so. Your presence here shows that you are. I thank you so much. Thank you for your time.”

After the ceremony, there was lunch provided my Mission BBQ.

See below photos: