2023 Annual Polk County Peace Officers' Memorial Service Set for May 4th
LAKELAND, FL (April 24, 2023) - The Fraternal Order of Police Polk County Lodge #46 and the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, Inc., will present the 35th Annual Polk County Peace Officers’ Memorial Service on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 10:00 AM at the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial in the Lakeland Veterans Memorial Park. The park is located on Lime Street, between Lake Beulah Drive and the west side of the Lakeland Center.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Blane Lane will be added to the memorial wall and become the 37th State, County, or Local Law Enforcement or Corrections officer who made the “supreme sacrifice and died in the line of duty” while serving the citizens of Polk County. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd will be the keynote speaker at the service. Each of the fallen officers will be honored during the Memorial Service “Roll Call of Heroes.”
Family members of fallen officers, representatives from various Polk County Law Enforcement and Corrections agencies, public service organizations, and Federal, State, County and Local government agencies will be participating.
Highlights of the service will include: Joint Agency Officer Processional March; Presentation of Colors by a Joint Agency Color Guard; Roll Call of Heroes; helicopter fly-over; Retreat of the Fallen Rider by the PCSO Mounted Unit; bagpipe players; 3 Gun Volley; and Taps.
Immediately following the memorial service, the 35th Annual Memorial Service Luncheon, hosted by the FOP Polk County Lodge #46 and the Polk County Law Enforcement Memorial Fund Inc., will take place at the FOP Polk County Lodge #46, located at 125 West Brannen Rd, Lakeland (east from South Florida Ave. @ Sonny’s BBQ). The public is invited to attend the memorial service and luncheon.
More information about each of the fallen heroes is available at www.polkfallenheroes.org.