The calling to be a member of law enforcement combines two mindsets: a desire to bring peace to your community and a willingness to give your life in that pursuit.
In gratitude, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), Hi Point Lodge No. 60 of Bellefontaine, hosted their 57th police memorial on Saturday, May 9, at Brown Park.
The service began with a parade that started in downtown Bellefontaine and continued up Sandusky Avenue to Brown Park. There they were met by members of the community who joined the somber ceremony.
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends,” (John 15:13). The honor guard and rifle squad lead the parade Saturday from downtown Bellefontaine to Brown Park for the police memorial ceremony. (SHARYN KOPF | THE CHRONICLE)
“Today we honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and remember our brothers and sisters in blue who have passed on,” FOP President Bryce Goodrich said in his opening remarks. He then listed the four Ohio law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2025:
Special Deputy Sheriff Larry Henderson, Jr., Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office —intentionally struck and killed by a driver in a vehicle May 2.
Deputy Sheriff Daniel Weston-Sherrer, Morrow County Sheriff’s Office — shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call May 26.
Police Officer Phillip C. Wagner, Lorain Police Department — shot and killed in an ambush while eating lunch in his cruiser July 24.
Trooper Nicholas P. Cayton, Ohio State Highway Patrol — struck and killed by the driver of a tractor-trailer on Oct. 16.
Fraternal Order of Police President Bryce Goodrich opens the 57th annual police memorial service at Brown Park in Bellefontaine Saturday, May 9. (SHARYN KOPF | THE CHRONICLE)
Goodrich also reminded attendees of the Logan County law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty throughout our history:
George Rockwell, Logan County Sheriff’s Department, 1878.
Frank J. Hossler, Ohio State Highway Patrol, 1956.
Sherman Ricketts, West Liberty Police Department, 1962.
Murray Griffin, Belle Center Police Department, 1986.
The FOP president then awarded Lynn Fullerton with an award in gratitude. Fullerton has voluntarily played “Taps” at the memorial service for 25 years.
Chaplain Blake Kenner then led the invocation. He quoted Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” He added, “God, we thank you because we know you do all things well.”
“On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 57 hours,” Judge Jacob Estes, Bellefontaine Municipal Court, told attendees at the annual police memorial service. “Unfortunately, sometimes the ultimate sacrifice is required of our law enforcement officers.” (SHARYN KOPF | THE CHRONICLE)
Jacob Estes, Bellefontaine Municipal Court judge, served as this year’s guest speaker. He focused his message on two recent instances where local law enforcement displayed courage — the almost 11-hour standoff in Lakeview on Aug. 14, 2024, and the September 2025 drowning incident at Adventure Trails Campground.
“Every stop made and every response to a call requires courage as our officers never know what danger may be awaiting them,” Estes said. “May we never forget how blessed we are to live in Logan County where so many courageous men and women in blue serve.”
Estes shared stories of area officers displaying compassion and empathy as well. For instance, he mentioned Deputy Michael Martz, who helped an elderly woman with her air conditioning and hung up her shower curtain last month.
Another example, also in April, centered around Officer Robert Hamilton, a Bellefontaine police officer. According to Estes, Hamilton “went over and beyond the call of duty by spending a considerable amount of time tracking down and recovering” an ID that had been accidentally given to the wrong customer at the Shell station on Madriver.
Estes concluded by reading a portion of “The Man in the Arena,” a speech President Theodore Roosevelt gave while visiting Paris, France, in 1910.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles …” Estes read. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly … who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly …”
After Estes’ speech, Commander Andrew Purk led the 21-gun salute, followed by Fullerton’s soulful performance of “Taps” on the trumpet.
Kenner, who is a retired Bellefontaine police detective, closed the ceremony.
“We have the absolute best here in Logan County, and it’s an honor to stand here,” Kenner said, then concluded, “Be guided with the compassion of God and you’ll never go wrong.”
