These columns list arrests and not convictions, unless otherwise stated. Anyone listed here who is later found not guilty or has had the charges against them dropped is welcome to inform this newspaper. The information will be confirmed and printed.
Okeechobee County law enforcement officers gathered Thursday morning to pay homage to those who have fallen in the line of duty during 2024.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Already have an account? Log in to continue. Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
Please log in to continue |
At 9 a.m. on May 15 in front of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office, Okeechobee City Police Chief Donald Hagan welcomed everyone to the ceremony and led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance after a Presentation of the Colors by the Honor Guard.
Chaplain Joe Bishop opened the ceremony in prayer, and Sheriff Noel E. Stephen spoke to the assembly. “What is a law enforcement officer?” he asked. He answered the question by quoting Paul Harvey, who said, “A law enforcement officer is a composite of what all people are, the mingling of a saint and a sinner. They are the most needed and the most unwanted.”
He followed this by quoting the Holy Bible, Romans 13:1, “Let everyone be subject to governing authorities for there is no authority except for that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Sheriff Stephen explained the main duties of law enforcement officers and said they were key to keeping communities safe.
“We gather here today to thank those who have served and are serving but most of all, we gather to remember and to mourn those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives,” he said.
After the sheriff spoke, Under Sheriff Michael Hazellief read the names of eight officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 — Sgt. Elio Diaz from Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Dan Diaz from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Butch Waller Jr. from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Cpl. Luis Paez from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Corrections Officer Bradford Mcnew from Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Police Officer Jeremy Boykins from West Palm Beach Police Dept., Master Deputy Bradley Link from Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Trooper Zachary Fink from Florida Highway Patrol.
Glover Emerson “Skip” Bryant holds the unfortunate distinction of being the only officer in Okeechobee County to be killed in the line of duty. Bryant was flying a search and rescue mission with his partner over Lake Okeechobee in 1991 when the plane crashed. Bryant was killed and his partner was seriously injured but recovered.
Finally, Hazellief spoke of Ed Miller, who served the Okeechobee community first as a judge and then as sheriff before he retired. Miller passed away three years ago, but the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office did not receive notice until recently, and Hazellief said the fact he was not mentioned in past years was not a reflection of the love the community have for him.
After Hazellief finished speaking the chaplain closed the ceremony with prayer and a recording of Taps was played.
