National Police Week: The CO Officers Who Died In Line Of Duty

WASHINGTON, DC – Three Colorado law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty will be honored as part of the annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service. Tens of thousands of law enforcement officers converge on the nation’s capital for the event, which will be held Wednesday, May 15.

The names of local, state and federal law enforcement officers nationwide who died on duty will be read. Here are the officers who will be recognized from Colorado:

• Micah L. Flick
  • End of watch:2/5/18
  • Flick, 34, an El Paso County Sheriff's detective, was killed in a shootout during an attempted car theft arrest in Colorado Springs. The suspect was also killed. Three other officers and a passerby were wounded.
• Heath M. Gumm
  • End of watch: 1/24/18
  • Adams Co. Deputy Heath Gumm, 31, was shot at close range while responding to a disturbance call in Thornton.
• Matthew T. Moreno
  • End of watch: 12/12/18
  • Los Animas County sheriff's deputy Matthew Moreno, 37, was responding to a call when his patrol car crashed into another patrol car and a third vehicle. Moreno was killed, along with Taelor Roybal, 23, and her son, 1-year-old Ezekiel Valdez. Two other deputies were injured.

President John F. Kennedy in 1962 designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week as Police Week. The Memorial Service began 20 years later with about 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement gathering in Senate Park, according to the event’s website. Since then, it has grown to attract up to 40,000 attendees every year. The event, best known as National Police Week, features a series of events, including seminars and a candlelight vigil.

Here are the events in Denver:

• Denver Police Department Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony
  • DATE: Thursday, May 16
  • Denver Police Law Enforcement Memorial located at 1331 Cherokee Street, in front of the Denver Police Administration Building. The names of the 72 Denver Police officers who were killed in the line of duty will be read so their sacrifice will not be forgotten.

A 5K race will be held Saturday, the first day of National Police Week, along with the annual police dog memorial service. Sunday events include the Law Enforcement United Bike Ride, the Police Unity Tour and the DC United First Responder Night.

Those events will be followed by a candlelight vigil Monday night on the National Mall and the annual Steve Young National Honor Guard and Pipe Band competitions Tuesday.

The two-hour memorial service will begin around 11 a.m. Wednesday. Annual Tent City events, featuring music, food and adult beverages, will be held Monday through Wednesday at RFK Stadium.

Patch staffers Dan Hampton and Deb Belt contributed to this report