Memorial service in Elgin honors police officers lost in the line of duty

Elgin police and community members gathered Thursday to honor officers who died in the line of duty in the past year and express gratitude for those serving every day.

Police Chief Ana Lalley said that when men and women choose law enforcement as a profession, they do it for myriad reasons.

But one commonality they share is that there is no guarantee they’ll return home safely at the end of the day.

“The daily sacrifices that law enforcement officers make are ones that are made from a willingness and desire to serve and protect for the safety of their communities,” Lalley said during the memorial service at the Hemmens Cultural Center.

“Sometimes in this service, tragedy happens, and an officer loses their life,” Lally added. “During this time, it is the care, the love and support from friends, families and the community that provides strength and courage for their loved ones who are forever changed.”

Debbie Wiseman is one of those people.

The past president of Illinois Concerns of Police Survivors spoke about her brother, Iowa State Patrol trooper Mark Toney.

Toney was a dedicated law enforcement officer with 24 years of service who tragically lost his life in a car accident during a high-speed chase while on duty on September 20, 2011.

“On that day, I became a part of a club that no one wants to be a part of — the family of a fallen law enforcement survivor,” she said.

Wiseman said “amazing” support from the law enforcement community and the public helped her family through a terrible time. She said events like the one held Thursday let families know the sacrifices of their loved ones aren’t forgotten.

Illinois Concerns of Police Survivors provides resources to assist in the rebuilding of the lives of surviving families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

Nationally, 165 officers died in the line of duty in 2024. Lalley read the names of nine of those officers who were from Illinois, as well as six retired Elgin officers who passed away last year. She then asked for a moment of silence to honor their sacrifice.

The memorial service also featured a performance of the national anthem by the Larkin High School Choir, a candle-lighting ceremony, the placement of a wreath, a firing detail and the playing of taps to honor fallen officers.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250515/news/memorial-service-in-elgin-honors-police-officers-lost-in-the-line-of-duty/