Law Enforcement Peace Officers Memorial service set for Thursday

Published 12:25 am Wednesday, May 17, 2017

By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — It was only a month ago that North Carolina lost a law enforcement officer in the line of duty.

On Thursday, family, friends and fellow law enforcement officers will gather to remember those officers across the state and locally who died while protecting the public.

This year marks the return of the Rowan County Peace Officers Memorial Service, to be held at noon Thursday at First Presbyterian Church. The service was on hiatus for a couple of years. It will honor not only those who died in the line of duty but those who have died following retirement.

The ceremony coincides with National Police Week, a time set aside each year to honor law enforcement officers and their work in the community. Area law enforcement officers often attend the National Peace Officers Memorial Service held in Washington.

The most recent line-of-duty death to affect Rowan County residents was that of Forsyth County Sheriff’s Deputy John Thomas Isenhour, who died in September after he was injured in a wreck. Isenhour, who was a Rowan County native, was struck by a car while patrolling during a bike race.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and Salisbury Police Department lost three retired officers this year: James “Jamie” Jones, who died in March; David Lynn Carroll, who died in February; and Albert Stout, who died last May and served with both the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and the SBI.

Organizers of Thursday’s memorial service will show photos of the fallen officers, including K-9 officers, co-organizer Victoria Young said. The service will include music, scripture, a reading of the names of the fallen and the honored law enforcement officers.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.