Eight cannon shots pierced the evening air Tuesday above Durango, each one in honor of an area law enforcement officer who lost his life in the line of duty.
Residents and service members from across the region participated in Tuesday’s Law Enforcement Memorial Walk, which featured bagpipers, an honor guard, a dozen informational booths, dozens of law enforcement vehicles and a 2½-mile walk along the Animas River.
It was a chance for residents and law enforcement officers to meet in a social setting and to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, said Lt. Ed Aber with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, who had the idea for the event.
“We’re an outdoor community, so I thought it was a nice way to do that,” Aber said.
The event coincides with National Police Week, May 15-21, which recognizes the service of law enforcement officers across the country and pays tribute to the fallen.
Police reform is being discussed across the country, Aber said, but he believes it should be a topic that is localized. The national debate tends to segregate law enforcement from the rest of the community, but in Southwest Colorado, law enforcement and the community are closely integrated, he said.
“What we’re seeing nationally is some worst-case scenarios – some really bad examples of poor community relationships,” he said. “What works for Denver Police Department doesn’t necessarily work for Durango Police Department because we have a different community relationship dynamic and different community needs.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been out to eat in uniform and I’ve had somebody walk up and say, ‘Thank you for your service,’” he said. “That means so much to an officer who is out there dealing with the negativity of our community. It’s so nice to have somebody say thank you.”
Participants were given small flashlights and blue ribbons that can be tied to car antennas. Blue lights bulbs were given away to residents who want to replace their existing porch lights with a blue light.
Brief biographical descriptions of the eight officers who died while on duty in La Plata County were on display Tuesday along the Animas River Trail between the Durango Community Recreation Center and Rotary Park.
Law enforcement and their families walked to Rotary Park, where drummers and bagpipers played, and more than a dozen police vehicles were parked with their red and blue lights flashing. Several hundred people stood silent as day turned to night and the sky turned a deep purple. Ominous clouds threatened to unleash a downpour, but the deluge never came.
Durango Police Department Sgt. Rita Warfield said she felt fortunate to live in Durango, where residents are more supportive of law enforcement than other places across the country.
“The climate hasn’t been as appreciative for all law enforcement,” she said. “I’m just really appreciative of all the people who came out. It shows we have a lot of support in our community. Next year, I hope this is twice as big.”
Southern Ute Police Department Chief Raymond Coriz Jr. said officers train as much as they can preparing for life-and-death situations, but nothing is routine.
“We’re all police officers. We all do one job, which is protect and serve,” he said. “Every situation hits home for us. So this means a lot for us.”
People don’t join law enforcement for the money; rather, it’s a for the sense of community, said Durango Police Department Lt. Darrell Robertson. When public servants go down in the line of duty, a part of the community goes down, he said. He thanked the volunteers who helped organize Tuesday’s memorial walk.
“It’s a time for us as a law enforcement family to stop and think about those who gave the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “It fuels us to want to do a better job and do more in service.”
A ceremonial cannon positioned along Rim Drive at Fort Lewis College sent loud booms reverberating through the valley about every five minutes, an audible reminder of the officers who have died.
The eight deaths in Southwest Colorado date back to Jan. 9, 1906, when Durango’s acting town marshal, Jesse Stansel, shot and killed La Plata County Sheriff William J. Thompson in a dispute stemming from the sheriff shutting down gambling halls in Durango.
The other deaths include:
Joseph A. Walker, an operative with the U.S. Secret Service, who died Nov. 3, 1907, while investigating land fraud involving coal mines near Hesperus. He was shot in the back in a confrontation with two men.Richard C. Edstrom, a Colorado State Patrol corporal, who died Oct. 28, 1959, as the result of a gun battle in Durango with three fugitives from Aztec.Gale E. Emerson, a Durango Police Department corporal, who died Aug. 24, 1974, when a wall exploded as the result of an arson fire in the 800 block of Main Avenue.Donald R. Kartchner, a La Plata County Sheriff’s deputy, who died Oct. 13, 1972, in an automobile accident during a high-speed pursuit.Frank McAteer, a La Plata County Sheriff’s sergeant, who died July 4, 1981, from a fatal heart attack after a 5-10 minute struggle trying to subdue a suspect.Joseph A. Ynostroza, a trooper with the Colorado State Patrol, who died Dec. 6, 1989, in a head-on collision with a semitrailer tanker east of Alamosa on U.S. Highway 160.Anthony Clyde “Tony” Archuleta, a retired sergeant with the Durango Police Department and an investigator with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe gaming division, who died June 19, 2013, from a sudden heart attack.
shane@durangoherald.com
Joseph A. Walker, an operative with the U.S. Secret Service, who died Nov. 3, 1907, while investigating land fraud involving coal mines near Hesperus. He was shot in the back in a confrontation with two men.Richard C. Edstrom, a Colorado State Patrol corporal, who died Oct. 28, 1959, as the result of a gun battle in Durango with three fugitives from Aztec.Gale E. Emerson, a Durango Police Department corporal, who died Aug. 24, 1974, when a wall exploded as the result of an arson fire in the 800 block of Main Avenue.Donald R. Kartchner, a La Plata County Sheriff’s deputy, who died Oct. 13, 1972, in an automobile accident during a high-speed pursuit.Frank McAteer, a La Plata County Sheriff’s sergeant, who died July 4, 1981, from a fatal heart attack after a 5-10 minute struggle trying to subdue a suspect.Joseph A. Ynostroza, a trooper with the Colorado State Patrol, who died Dec. 6, 1989, in a head-on collision with a semitrailer tanker east of Alamosa on U.S. Highway 160.Anthony Clyde “Tony” Archuleta, a retired sergeant with the Durango Police Department and an investigator with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe gaming division, who died June 19, 2013, from a sudden heart attack.
