CCSO's Law Enforcement Memorial, honoring fallen heroes, now complete - donations being accepted
Photo courtesy of CCSO.
Citrus County, Florida - On February 11, 2020, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) formally broke ground on its Law Enforcement Memorial, located on the grounds of the agency's headquarters located in Inverness, where it pays tribute to the fallen law enforfcement officers, who lost their lives in the line of duty while serving the citizens of Citrus County.
The initial unveiling ceremony took place on May 11, 2021. The first statue, unveiled at that time, depicted a two-thirds life size bronze statue of a male deputy sheriff that reflected the agency's uniform, duty gear, patches, badge, and campaign hat with braid, right down to the make and model of each piece of equipment.
From start to finish, construction of the memorial took close to three years and now has three two-thirds life size bronze statues. The additional statujes are to the left and right of the original statue - a female deputy sheriff and a child.
This project is now complete, inscribed with the names of the officers who gave their lives while in serviice ri Citrus County's citizens. Their names, forever memorialized in this monument, include:
Deputy Sheriff James McIntosh McMullen. EOW: December 26, 1899. Cause of death: Gunfire
City Marshal J.W. Newsome. EOW: March 3, 1908. Cause of death: Gunfire.
Master Detective Aubrey Fred Johnson. EOW: February 11, 1997. Cause of death: Automobile crash.
"We will always remember our fallen colleagues. This memorial is an appropriate tribute to those who selflessly gave their lives for the citizens of our county." said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "I encourage everyone to visit this memorial and reflect upon those who sacrificed their all to protect us. Our local heroes' dedication in keeping our community safe will forever be memorialized on this hallowed ground."
To Donate:
The Citrus County Sheriff's Foundation, a 501(c) 3 corporation, is sponsoring this cause and is still accepting donations from the public. If you would like to contribute, donations can be dropped off or mailed to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, located at 1 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Inverness, FL 34450. Questions can be directed to Colonel Elena Vitt via email at evitt@sheriffcitrus.org or by phone at (352) 341-7402.