The Portland Police Bureau held their annual Police Memorial Ceremony today, Tuesday, May 20, at 12:00 p.m. at the Portland Police Memorial, located in Waterfront Park. The memorial service included the Portland Police Honor Guard, music from the Portland Police Highland Guard, a 21-gun salute, and a water display from Portland Fire & Rescue. Mayor Keith Wilson, Chief Bob Day, Portland Police Association President Aaron Schmautz and Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan spoke at the ceremony.
This year a new officer’s name was added to the Portland Police Memorial: Patrolman Andrew James Laugeson, who was killed in the line of duty on May 12, 1917, after he was thrown to the pavement while trying to board a moving streetcar.
Patrolman Laugeson’s name was discovered when Portland Police Historical Society board members were researching historic news articles about Portland officers killed in the line of duty. They discovered that Patrolman Laugeson was one of nine fallen officers recognized in the 1920s, but that his name was not included on memorial walls. Through their exhaustive research efforts, they were able to verify and document the way he died for submission and inclusion to local, state and national police memorial walls. Today, Chief Bob Day presented the Memorial Flag to the great-grandson of Patrolman Laugeson.
Since 1870, 30 Portland Police officers and two police canines have been killed in the line-of-duty in service to the City of Portland.
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. Due to scheduling conflicts, the Portland Police Memorial Ceremony was held this week.
The Portland Police Memorial was built through the efforts of the Portland Police Historical Society and was dedicated during National Police Week in May 1993 by President George H.W. Bush.
Source: Portland Police Bureau