A reminder of sacrifices officers make

While no new names were added to Nevada Law Enforcement Officers Memorial on Wednesday, the event to honor those who've lost their lives in the line of duty was no less solemn.

"This memorial undoubtedly serves as a constant reminder that this battle has no cease fire - this war has no truce," Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins told a crowd of about 200 gathered on the Capitol grounds.

Quoting President Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Perkins likened the fallen officers to those men who lost their lives in the Civil War and vowed, "that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain."

Peace officers from around the state participated in the 45-minute ceremony that included the singing of the National Anthem, a 21-gun salute and the presentation of a wreath to be placed on the memorial. A plaque in the shape of Nevada is inscribed with the 99 names of those officers killed in the line of duty since 1861.

The wife of fallen Lyon County Sheriff's Deputy George T. Rice talked of the support she and her children continue to receive from her husband's law connections some 20 years since he was gunned down in Smith Valley.

Rice, an eight-year veteran of law enforcement, was shot once in the head June 2, 1984, as he approached a home to talk to a man who was firing at passing vehicles.

Rice Peak in the Pine Nut Mountains 16 miles east of Gardnerville was named in his honor.

"What an honor it is to still be a part of this family," Sally Rice-Cardinal said.

Frank Adams, historian for the Nevada Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and a member of the Nevada Law Enforcement Historical Society, said this is the second year out of seven since the memorial began that no Nevada peace officers have died while on duty. In 2003 the memorial gained the name of Mike Scofield, a Reno motorcycle officer who was killed in a September 2002 crash while responding to a traffic call.

Nationally, since 1789, 17,000 peace officers have lost their lives while serving their communities, Adams said.

"We want to remind the citizens of Nevada the sacrifices the officers made," he said of the service. "This is the only job I know of where people intend to hurt you."

A ceremony May 15 in Washington, D.C., will honor all officers killed in the United States in the last year.

Contact F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.