Several heroes were remembered at the 2017 Fallen Officer Tribute on Monday night.
“This evening, we pause to remember and pay tribute to 17 law enforcement personnel from various agencies who lived or served in Prince William County at the time they died in the line of duty,” said Jim Hollis, president of the Prince William County Citizen Police Academy Alumni Association.
The alumni association and the Prince William County Police Department sponsored the event, which took place at the Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building.
A roll call of the fallen heroes followed speeches from Prince William County Officers Walter O’Neal and Dana Russell and Chief of Police Barry Barnard.
“No one trains us to sit here on an evening like tonight and to deal with the emotion of what you have to see and do in the days following those tragic events,” O’Neal said. “So, thank you to the citizens police academy for allowing us this opportunity to pay tribute to the fallen officers from Prince William County. It is because of this opportunity we are allowed to keep a moment and keep our promise to never forget.”
Fallen Heroes
| Justice of the Peace Thomas Semms Meredith |
July 22, 1922 |
| Trooper Jackie M. Bussard |
May 5, 1970 |
| Officer Paul T. White Jr. |
October 27, 1973 |
| Investigator Claude Everett Seymour |
April 25, 1975 |
| Trooper Johnny R. Bowman |
August 19, 1984 |
| Sergeant John D. Conner III |
July 24, 1988 |
| Officer Phillip M. Pennington |
November 22, 1990 |
| Trooper Jose M. Cavazos |
February 24, 1993 |
| Special Agent William H. Christian Jr. |
May 29, 1995 |
| Detective John M. Gibson |
July 24, 1998 |
| Officer Marlon F. Morales |
June 13, 2001 |
| Second Lt. Francis Joseph Stecco |
October 25, 2008 |
| Special Agent Chad L. Michael |
October 26, 2009 |
| Special Agent Forrest N. Leamon |
October 26, 2009 |
| Officer Paul Michael Dittamo |
October 30, 2010 |
| Officer Chris Yung |
December 31, 2012 |
| Officer Ashley Guindon |
February 27, 2016 |
