Full Notification

On Friday, May 7, 2021, the 31^st annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be held at noon at the Memorial site located on the Capitol grounds in Madison, WI. The annual ceremony, honoring and remembering Wisconsin law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, is held in correlation with National Police Week activities. 

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 “National Peace Officer’s Memorial Day” and National Police Week as the calendar week which encompasses May 15.  National Police Week 2021 is May 9 until May 15. 

There will be a squad procession involving officers from across Wisconsin that will leave Olin Park at 11:15 AM and arrive at the Wisconsin State Capitol.  Olin Park is located off the Highway 12/18 beltline in Madison.

Due to the pandemic, there was not an official ceremony in 2020, therefore the ceremony will include a 2020-2021 Honor Roll.  The Honor Roll includes six names that will be officially added to the Memorial, bringing the total amount of Wisconsin law enforcement officers listed on the Memorial to 285. 

2020 Honor Roll

On May 25, 1933, Darlington Police Department Chief William McGinty, suffered a fatal heart attack, while struggling with an intoxicated male that he arrested. 

On November 3, 1945, Pepin County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Officer Starre A. Miles, was directing traffic while a wrecker was removing a vehicle that crashed.  Another vehicle struck the wrecker.  Officer Miles was struck by one of the vehicles and sustained a head injury.  Officer Miles succumbed to his injuries on November 5, 1945, while in the hospital.

On February 6, 2019, Milwaukee Police Department Officer Matthew J. Rittner, was a member of the department’s Tactical Enforcement Unit (TEU).  The TEU was conducting a search warrant.  Officer Rittner was the breacher on the team and as he breached the door, the suspect fired at officers striking and fatally wounding Officer Rittner.

On June 17, 2019, Racine Police Department Officer John D. Hetland was off duty.  Officer Hetland took police action and intervened in an armed robbery.  The suspect fired a handgun striking and fatally wounding Officer Hetland.

2021 Honor Roll

On August 3, 2017, Milwaukee Police Department Officer Mark S. Lentz, was attempting to stop a vehicle, when another vehicle intentionally rammed Officer Lentz’ police motorcycle, to assist the other driver from being stopped in a stolen vehicle.  Officer Lentz remained in medical care for injuries sustained in the crash until he died on September 18, 2019, due complications related to his injuries.

On August 22, 2020, Dane County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Richard Treadwell, died from complications of COVID-19, which he contracted while performing his duties while assigned to Dane County Law Enforcement Training Center.

The ceremony speakers will include Wisconsin Concerns of Police Survivors President Jo Ann Mignon and retired Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales. The Greenfield High School Band will be performing during the ceremony.

Additionally, members of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Green Bay Police Department, Milwaukee Police Department, Racine Police Department, Two Rivers Police Department, West Allis Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol Honor Guards will post guards at the memorial site starting at sunrise. Similar to the military guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, two Law Enforcement Honor Guard members will continually encircle the memorial site from approximately 5:30 AM until the memorial ceremony at noon.

Those in attendance are requested to follow the current public health order as directed by Public Health Madison and Dane County.  The current order can be found here:  https://publichealthmdc.com/coronavirus/forward-dane/current-order