DECATUR, Ga. — Elected leaders, fellow law enforcement officers and family members gathered Thursday morning in Decatur to honor fallen officers killed in the line of duty.
Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach went to the square in downtown Decatur to hear from those gathered to honor the 45 names listed on the memorial on site.
The names date back to before the Civil War, until one officer who died during his service in January 2021, Sgt. Daniel Mobley, a 22-year veteran of the DeKalb County Police.
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During the ceremony, colors were presented and the flags were lowered.
Those gathered said prayers and gave remarks honoring those listed on the Fallen Officers Memorial. A roll call of all 45 names was read during the event.
“We get through it, but never get over it,” said the brother-in-law of one DeKalb officer. “We’re law enforcement family and always honor[ed] to be here.”
He was there to honor Officer Thomas Atkisson, killed in 1976. He said it was the first year his wife had missed the ceremony.
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DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos said they honor all those who heard the call, performed their duty and paid the ultimate price.
“When you take the oath to serve and protect, it doesn’t say that you won’t be protested against, spat on, beaten, criticized, ran over with a vehicle, or even shot at for simply answering the call,” Ramos said.
That includes the most recent DeKalb officer killed in the line of duty. Sgt. Mobley was hit in a fatal accident while investigating a crash in early 2021. His son spoke at the event.
“He was a great father,” Mobley’s son said.
During the ceremony, those honoring the fallen played a 21-gun salute and bagpipe songs. A helicopter also performed a flyover, and family members placed flowers in a wreath.
One current DeKalb officer, Sgt. Kevin Reis, said it was important for families and fellow officers to be at the event and remember the fallen for their service. He’d lost a friend in the line of duty.
“Suppor the family, obviously to support the family, and support Sgt. Mobley,” Reis explained to Channel 2 Action News. “He was a great officer, great friend. He’s dearly missed every day.”
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May marks the month the United States remembers fallen officers. According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were 60 officers killed in the line of duty during a felony in 2022, down from a near-record the year before.
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