WASHINGTON D.C., DC — D.C. police officers have started their new community engagement assignments – walking the streets of some neighborhoods identified as crime hot spots.
On Monday, a reminder of how dangerous their job can be. A new memorial to honor the lives of fallen D.C. officers was dedicated outside of police headquarters.
On a brisk spring afternoon, current and former police officers, cadets, and families of the fallen dedicated a refurbished memorial fountain first commissioned by Congress and completed in 1942. And on a newly constructed wall, the names of the 125 men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department who died in the line of duty since the department was established in 1861.
“I don’t have a memory of my dad other than him dying,” said Jones, “I respect the law but to grow up and not know your dad is tough.”
Jones was just 3 years old when her father, 31-year-old officer George Jones, Jr. was killed in the line of duty. In 1973, Officer Jones was responding to a domestic disturbance when an estranged husband with a gun and a grudge shot and killed him.
“If there’s a beef in the community, I don’t think gun should be used to solve it,” she explained. “Their job is to protect and serve and we want our parents and any officer to come home after their job.”
“I knew some of these people they were my friends they were some of the best people you can find anywhere,” added retired D.C. officer Ken Roden. Roden and retired Detective Lieutenant Donald Blake are among the team behind the memorial to honor men and women who walked the city streets with commitment and purpose, putting on the badge to protect their community – and did, until the very end.
“Don made the reference to the wolves and the sheep and the sheep dogs, and we’re the sheep dogs,” Roden said. “We’re supposed to be looking out for people.”
“He’s my hero forever my family shares their memories of him often, so I look like him my son looks just like him, so I’m blessed,” said Jones.