Community honors fallen officers at annual memorial service

HOUGHTON COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) - A foggy motorcade out of Calumet kicked off this year’s 30th annual Upper Peninsula Peace Officer’s Memorial Service.

The service pays tribute to law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty and honors those who continue their service.

“These men and women, by their patriotic service and dedicated efforts, have earned the gratitude of the public,” MSP Calumet Post Commander F/Lt. Jason Wickstrom said.

Even before the service started, officers said they could see such gratitude. Students from the CLK school district stood outside with signs as the motorcade passed by. Firefighters also greeted the officers with a large American flag on the Houghton side of the Portage Canal.

This led to the service at Michigan Tech University’s campus, featuring live music from the Houghton High School Band, a 21-gun salute, and a roll call of decades of fallen officers. Houghton County Prosecutor Daniel Helmer spoke as the event’s keynote speaker.

“It’s not the loud voices that matter,” Helmer said during his speech. “Because if you do this job for the reason you signed up for; community service, serving your neighbor, the loud voices don’t matter. What will matter is the fact you have a community at your back.”

Helmer says that in the country’s current climate, it can be tough being in law enforcement.

“We’ve seen that across the state with recruiting problems and retention problems,” Helmer added. “I think the vast majority of people believe in our police, trust our police, especially those officers who do it for the right reasons, and we need to make sure they know that.”

A travelling plaque honoring the fallen officers was also presented to the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office by the Gogebic County Sheriff’s Office. It is planned to be displayed at the County Courthouse until next years’ service.