Fallen Stark County Officers Honored
(WHBC) – As a light rain fell the names of the 18 law enforcement officers in Stark County who have been killed in the line of duty were read during a Friday ceremony at the Police Memorial at the courthouse.
Seven Canton police officers are on the list.
Their names were read off by Lt. Vic George, who we caught up with after the ceremony.
“It’s our best way to pay our respects to those who perished in the fight, and to let the families know that we haven’t forgotten them and won’t.”
The most recent death was K9 officer Jethro, who was shot and killed while helping Canton police arrest a suspect in 2016.
Lt. George says K9 officers are highly valued assets to the department.
“When you’re on the street and you need them and they found something or somebody, you’re awful glad they’re there, so they deserve the recognition we’ve given them.”
The person who shot Jethro was sent to prison for 45 years.
The names read off include 16 officers and two K9 officers.
Seven officers were from Canton, four from Massillon, two from Alliance, two from the Stark County Sheriff’s Office and one from Uniontown.
The two K9 officers were from Canton.
“Once you are a police officer and you lose somebody that’s close to you, you realize how a part of you dies with that person, and you never want to forget them,” the Lt. added.
