Police1 Staff Report
(LOS ANGELES) -- Officers of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific station turned out en mass Wednesday night to officially open Pacific Memorial Park to honor Officer Brian Brown and three other officers who have died in the line of duty.
Over 100 people stood with candles around the small area just off the station’s parking lot and listened to speakers eulogize the fallen officers.
The Pacific station has lost four members in the line of duty in the last 40 years.
Brown, a single father, died this year in a gang shootout.
“The first time you hear the words ‘officer down’ is something you never forget,” Sgt. Craig Herron, who keeps in touch with Brown’s 9-year-old son, told the Los Angeles Times. “The first time I heard it was 11 years ago, and when it’s somebody you know, it stays with you forever.”
The message of the memorial was especially distressing after Pacific station officer, Gerry Smedley was wounded in the line of duty.
“I was awfully happy Smedley’s injuries weren’t worse,” Sgt. Greg Glodery told the Times. “We could be talking about Smedley instead of Brian Brown and others.”