Texas Commission on Law Enforcement unanimously enrolls 32 officers into Peace Officers Memorial

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement voted unanimously Thursday to enroll 32 law enforcement officers for induction at next year’s Texas Peace Officers Memorial Monument ceremony.

Director of Field Operations Gretchen Beardsby read the 32 names into the record at the commission’s Dec. 5 meeting in Austin and by video conference. “I will say with that, unfortunately, sadly, there are gonna be more names that will be added,” Beardsby told commissioners as she read the list, noting timing and posting requirements related to the Commission’s rules.

The names encompass officers from multiple agencies and years. Beardsby told the commission that roughly 20 of the names originate from years prior to 2024 and that many of those earlier entries were related to the agency’s review of COVID-era deaths. The list also included recent 2024 line-of-duty deaths from several counties and state agencies. The commission took no additional discussion before voting; Commissioner Patricia Burrows moved to enroll the officers and Commissioner Justin Barry seconded. The motion passed by roll-call vote recorded as unanimous.

Commissioners said they scheduled the December meeting specifically to permit timely processing of memorial enrollees so families and departments could be recognized at the April ceremony. Assistant Presiding Officer Jason Hester explained the commission reserved the date so the memorial committee could process the entries in time for next year’s event.

The commission did not discuss individual case files during the public meeting. Beardsby noted that some names arrived after the deadline for posting on a regular meeting agenda, which is why the special meeting was convened.

The commission did not take other formal actions related to the memorial item at Thursday’s meeting.