Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Law Enforcement Memorial topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Canyon County ceremony honors 77 officers killed in the line of duty
Summary
State and local officials gathered in Canyon County to honor 77 law-enforcement officers whose names were read at a memorial ceremony; speakers urged continued community support and noted 40 additional U.S. line-of-duty deaths so far this year.
Sheriff Donahue led a memorial ceremony in the Treasure Valley on behalf of Canyon County law enforcement, where officials read the names of 77 officers who died in the line of duty and honored their families.
Lieutenant Governor Scott Fedke told attendees that public safety underpins other measures of a good state. "If we don't have safe communities, all the other stuff doesn't really matter, frankly," Fedke said, urging citizens and policymakers to sustain support for officers and their families.
Senator Jim Guthrie shared a personal story about a local officer who saved a child, using the example to describe the split-second decisions officers face. Guthrie praised the professionalism of those who serve and recalled how national memorials shaped his understanding of service and sacrifice.
Major Jens Paredes of the Idaho State Police described the emotional weight of reading names at memorials and the broader law-enforcement family that is affected by each loss. Phil Skinner, chief deputy in the attorney general's office, said the office "has not forgotten" the fallen and pledged to carry their memory forward.
During a roll call led by guest speakers and command staff, organizers read names spanning many decades — beginning with Walter Coffin (1883) and including officers listed through 2024 — while command staff placed 77 roses as part of the ceremony.
Sheriff Donahue also announced a national update, saying that "since 01/01/2026, to date, there have been 40 additional law enforcement officers and 1 canine officer who have died in line of duty in The United States." The ceremony observed a moment of silence and a performance of Taps by Zeke Adamson of Valley View Middle School, and closed with the release of 77 blue balloons in remembrance.
Organizers invited attendees to join a procession following the stage presentation to continue the remembrance outside; no formal policy actions or votes were taken at the event.
