Area police agencies to again honor officers killed on duty

After a three-year hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, law enforcement agencies from Western New York and Southern Ontario are resuming a 23-year-old tradition of honoring officers killed in the line of duty, at an interfaith memorial service.

This year’s service will be held at 7 p.m. May 18 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 140 Rainbow Blvd., Niagara Falls, where the host pastor will be the Rev. Helen O. Harper. The guest speaker will be Niagara County Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti.

Held during National Police Week, the Niagara County Interfaith Police Memorial Service gives special recognition to law enforcement officers who sacrificed their lives for the safety and protection of others. The service includes the recitation of the Roll of Honor – the roster of those officers – followed by the rendering of full military-style honors by agency honor guard members.

Since 1776, there have been 26,287 known line of duty deaths in the U.S. The earliest recorded Niagara County death was that of Niagara Falls Police Constable Andrew Frank in 1865. The circumstances surrounding his death are unknown. The most recent is that of Niagara Falls Det. Lt. Kristina Zell, who died in 2022 from a duty-related illness.