As the first month of 2017 closes, it is paramount that we reflect on the sacrifices of our men and women in blue.  The thirteen law enforcement officers who gave their lives for their communities in January are listed below.

1. Detective Chad Parque, 32, of the North Las Vegas Police Department, lost his life on January 7 in an automobile accident. Detective Parque was leaving the North Las Vegas Justice Court on January 6 when his department vehicle was struck head-on by another vehicle.  Detective Parque died in the hospital early on January 7.  Chad Parque had served the people of Las Vegas, Nevada, for ten years.  He is survived by his wife, children, and siblings.
2. Lieutenant Debra Clayton, 42, of the Orlando Police Department, lost her life on January 9 in a shootout. Then-Sergeant Clayton was encountering a suspect wanted for murder in a Walmart parking lot when the suspect opened fire, killing her.  The suspect was later arrested.  Sergeant Clayton was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant.  Debra Clayton had served the people of Orlando, Florida for seventeen years.  She is survived by her husband and son.
3. Deputy First Class Norman Lewis, 35, of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, lost his life on January 9 in a motorcycle accident. Deputy Lewis was involved in the search for the suspect who had killed Orlando Police Sergeant Debra Clayton when he was involved in a fatal motorcycle crash.  Norman Lewis had served the people of Orange County, Florida for eleven years.  He is survived by his family.
4. Detective Steven McDonald, 59, of the New York City Police Department, lost his life on January 10 due to a gunshot wound he received thirty-one years before. Detective McDonald was investigating a group of robbery suspects when he was shot and paralyzed.  He died of his wounds on January 10.  Steven McDonald had served the people of New York, New York for thirty-two years.  He is survived by his wife and son.
5. Chief of Police Randy Gibson, 59, of the Kalama Police Department, lost his life on January 10 due to respiratory distress. Chief Gibson felt the effects after an arrest, and he was admitted to a hospital.  He went home on his own request, where he later died.  Randy Gibson was a U.S. Air Force veteran who had served the people of Kalama, Washington for six years and had former law enforcement experience.  He is survived by his wife.
6. Sheriff Stephen Lawrence Ackerman, 46, of the Lea County Sheriff’s Office, lost his life on January 17 in a vehicle crash. Sheriff Ackerman was traveling to a conference with the state legislature when he was involved in the accident.  Stephen Lawrence Ackerman had served the people of Lea County, New Mexico for fourteen years and had prior law enforcement experience.  He is survived by his wife and children.
7. Detective Jerry Walker, 48, of the Little Elm Police Department, lost his life on January 17 in a shootout. Detective Walker and other officers were responding to a call of an armed person when the suspect opened fire, mortally wounding Detective Walker.  The suspect later committed suicide.  Jerry Walker was a U.S. Army veteran who had served the people of Little Elm, Texas for eighteen years.  He is survived by his four children.
8. Deputy Sheriff Colt Eugene Allery, 29, of the Rolette County Sheriff’s Office, lost his life on January 18 during a shootout. A suspect opened fire on Officers at the conclusion of a pursuit.  Deputy Allery was shot and killed.  The suspect was also killed.  Colt Eugene Allery had served the people of Rolette County, North Dakota for three months and had prior law enforcement experience.  He is survived by his family.
9. Police Officer Raymond Murrel, 27, of the Bloomingdale Police Department, lost his life on January 19 in a vehicle crash. Officer Murrel was responding to a larceny report when his vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole, killing him.  Raymond Murrel had served the people of Bloomingdale, Illinois for one year and had prior law enforcement experience.  He is survived by his family.
10. Police Officer Michael Louviere, 26, of the Westwego Police Department, lost his life on January 20 in an ambush. Officer Louviere came upon the scene of a vehicle accident.  Not knowing that the crash was caused by a domestic violence incident, Officer Louviere attempted to extricate a female from the vehicle.  A male suspect approached Officer Louviere from behind and shot and killed him and the female before fleeing the scene.  The suspect later committed suicide after confronted by Police Officers.  Michael Louviere was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who had served the people of Westwego, Louisiana for eighteen months.  He is survived by his wife and children.
11. Police Officer David J. Fahey, Jr., 39, of the Cleveland Police Department, lost his life on January 24 in a vehicular assault. Officer Fahey was attempting to steer highway traffic from the scene of an accident when a car hit and killed him.  The suspect fled the scene and was later arrested.  David J. Fahey, Jr. was a U.S. Navy veteran who had served the people of Cleveland, Ohio for two-and-a-half years.  He is survived by his family.
12. Police Officer Nathan B. Graves, 45, of the Sac and Fox Nation Police Department, lost his life on January 24 in a vehicle accident. Officer Graves was patrolling US 99 in Oklahoma when his patrol car was hit head on by a vehicle, killing him.  Nathan B. Graves had served the people of the Sac and Fox Nation, Tribal Nation for two-and-a-half years and had prior law enforcement experience.  He is survived by his wife and children.
13. Deputy Chief James G. Molly, 55, of the New York City Police Department, lost his life on January 30 due to brain cancer he had received following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. When the towers went down, Deputy Chief Molly went to Ground Zero and helped in evacuating victims from the area.  He assisted in recovery and clean-up efforts at Ground Zero for several more months.  Deputy Chief Molly eventually suffered brain cancer from inhaling the toxic materials present in the air after the attack.  James G. Molly had served the people of New York, New York, for thirty-five years.  He is survived by his wife and daughters.

The beginning of 2017 has brought considerable change to the United States in numerous ways.  Political, social, economic, and cultural aspects of our country have been altered in the past month, each adjustment drawing relief from some and outrage from others.  But one thing hasn’t changed: American Police Officers are still on patrol.  We might notice them only as the uniform that gives us tickets for speeding, sure, but at the end of the day they prove to be more than that.  Our omnipresent Police force is focused solely on protecting their fellow citizens from danger and wrongdoing. Thus far, thirteen Police Officers have laid down their lives for their hometowns and their neighbors, and as this nation goes through 2017, we must honor their sacrifices by remaining a united country.

Statistics from: Officer Down Memorial Page

https://www.odmp.org/