Tremont man among those honored in police memorial service

Posted on May 4, 2016

By WJBC Staff

SPRINGFIELD – The annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor law enforcement officers killed in Illinois in the line of duty, including one from Tazewell County, will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Illinois Peace Officer Memorial sculpture on the Illinois State Capitol grounds in Springfield.

Two officers killed during 2015 will be recognized during the ceremony and their names added to the memorial. Deputy Sheriff Craig Whisenand of the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office died August 10, 2015 and McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Maness was killed September 14, 2015.

Whisenand, from Tremont, was killed in a single-vehicle crash while responding to a domestic disturbance call in Armington. Maness was shot in the line of duty of 2014.

“This annual ceremony honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities,” said Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “Every man and woman in this difficult and dangerous profession knows the risks they face every time they put on the badge. This memorial service is a testament to those risks and to the selfless courage of the officers who laid down their lives to keep us safe. I hope and pray there will come a day when we don’t have more names to add to the list of fallen officers on the memorial. Sadly, I feel this day may never come.”

In addition, officers who were confirmed to have died in the line of duty in the past but who had not yet been officially included on the memorial will be recognized. These include Deputy Lamont Reid, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, who died March 26, 2010; Sergeant Thomas Reed, Paris Police Department, August 14, 1938; Constable Earl Dixon, Mounds Police Department, August 11, 1935; Officer Austin Fitch, Chicago Police Department, November 24, 1914; Officer Bartholomew Cavanaugh, Chicago Police Department, December 15, 1898; and Officer William Feeley, Chicago Police Department, July 31, 1894.

The day’s observance will begin with the lineup of squad cars from around the state from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

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