WASHINGTON, (PRNewswire-USNewswire) -- In observance of the 12th anniversary of the deadliest day in U.S. law enforcement history, a special remembrance ceremony was held Wednesday morning, honoring the 72 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Herbert Giobbi, Chief Operating Officer of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, delivered brief remarks and introduced the reading of the 72 fallen officers' names aloud, as the crowd of Memorial Fund staff, peace officers, supporters, and friends stood together in honor of their service and sacrifice.
When all 72 names had been read aloud, Mr. Giobbi was joined by U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers and Amtrak Police Chief Polly Hanson as they placed a wreath near panels 9-22 of the Memorial's west wall, where the fallen officers' names are engraved.
"With the passage of time, the horrific events of 9/11 seem to have faded a bit from our collective consciousness," said Mr. Giobbi. "But the service and sacrifice of the 72 courageous law enforcement heroes, who put their lives on the line that day for the safety and protection of others, will always be remembered at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial," he said.
Among the 72 peace officers who made the ultimate sacrifice that day were 37 sworn members of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department. Also killed at the World Trade Center that day were 23 members of the New York City Police Department; five members of the New York State Department of Taxation & Finance; three members of the New York State Office of Court Administration; a special agent with the FBI; a master special officer with the U.S. Secret Service; and a New York City fire marshal who had sworn law enforcement powers.
In addition, Refuge Manager Richard Guadagno, a sworn officer with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, was among the passengers who died in Pennsylvania while fighting to regain control of Flight 93 from the terrorists.
The names of all 72 officers killed on 9/11 can be found on the Memorial Fund website. The names of 19,981 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history—since the earliest known officer fatality in 1791—are engraved on the Memorial.
