Tarrant County Government: Law Enforcement Memorial Dedication

Press release from the Tarrant County Government:

May 14, 2021

A permanent tribute to
Tarrant County law enforcement officers who died in the line of
duty now stands on the west lawn of the historic 1895 Tarrant
County courthouse.

The dedication for the
Tarrant County Law Enforcement Memorial – a slab of pink granite
on which a ring-shaped memorial featuring a Texas star and a
bronze Tarrant County seal lies – was held Friday.

The memorial, which
currently honors 16 fallen Tarrant County peace officers, is in
the center of a wide walkway leading to the old courthouse’s
west entrance.

The goal of this tribute
was to create a place where the community could honor lost law
enforcement officers.

“Tarrant County has
always had a special place in its heart for those who protect us
and keep us safe,” said Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley. 
“This memorial not only honors those individuals who have made
the ultimate sacrifice for Tarrant County, but it gives them and
their families a place to be remembered.”

Whitley, Tarrant County
Precinct 4 County Commissioner J.D. Johnson, Tarrant County Criminal
District Attorney Sharen Wilson and Tarrant County Sheriff Bill
Waybourn all served on the Law Enforcement Memorial Committee.

“It’s been a long time
coming,” Johnson said. “I’m certainly glad to see it finally
being complete. A lot of people have worked on this and I’m very
grateful to those that have. This is a project that I started
30-plus years ago.”

The idea to create a
permanent memorial for fallen officers arose more than 20 years
ago. Commissioner Johnson and former Tarrant County Criminal
District Attorney Tim Curry, the longest serving District
Attorney in Tarrant County, were co-founders of the effort.

“We must always remember
and honor those in law enforcement who gave their lives to
protect Tarrant residents,” Wilson said. “We were blessed to
have these officers who chose to serve. They will never be forgotten.”

For Waybourn, the
memorial delivers on a promise to remember those who died in the
line of duty.

“This memorial represents
many things,” Waybourn said. “It celebrates 170 years of a great
place to live because of those who came before us. It represents
those who gave all to ensure that we continue to live here with
liberty and freedom. We promised to remember these heroes and,
with the completion of the Tarrant County Law Enforcement
Memorial, we always will.” 

The county asked its
employees to submit designs for the memorial. Janice Pledger, an
employee in the county’s Domestic Relations Office, came up with
the winning idea. Then Fort Worth architect Michael Bennett
turned Pledger’s idea into the memorial that exists today.

The budget for the
project was $180,000 and was raised through donations

The first Tarrant peace
officer to die was John B. York who was killed in August 1861.

This press release was produced by the Tarrant County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.