April 22, 2021 – The Annual Illinois Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor law enforcement officers killed in Illinois in the line of duty, including six who died in 2019 and 10 who died in 2020, will be held Thursday, May 6 at 11 am at the Illinois Peace Officer Memorial sculpture on the Illinois State Capitol ground in Springfield.
“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.”
The 2020 memorial service was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic so this year’s ceremony will recognize officers killed in the line of duty the past two years.
The six officers killed during 2019 include: Trooper First Class Christopher Lambert, Illinois State Police, January 12; Deputy Sheriff Jacob Keltner, McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, March 7; Trooper First Class Brooke Jones-Story, Illinois State Police, March 28; Trooper First Class Gerald Ellis, Illinois State Police, March 30; Deputy Sheriff Troy Chisum, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, June 25; and Trooper First Class Nicholas Hopkins, Illinois State Police, August 23.
