By Cathy Womble
Lake Okeechobee News
OKEECHOBEE — Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office held its annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service on Thursday, May 12, 2022. The event took place on the steps in front of the sheriff's office and was attended by personel from the sheriff's office and the city police department as well as by elected officials and members of the community. Crime Scene Tech Jada Arroyo sang the National Anthem, and Makaya Whitehead played Taps at the close of the service.
Florida law enforcement officers who were killed while on duty during 2021 were mentioned by name:
- Special Agent Daniel Alfin of the FBI was killed by gunfire.
- Special Agent Laura Schwartzenberger of the FBI was killed by gunfire.
- Police Officer Kevin Valencia of the Orlando Police Department was killed by gunfire.
- Police Officer Jason Raynor of the Daytona Beach Police Department was killed by gunfire.
- Deputy Joshua Moyers of the Nassau County Sheriff's Office was killed by gunfire.
- Police Officer Yandy Chirino of the Hollywood Police Department was killed by gunfire.
- Corrections Officer Trainee Whitney Cloud of the FDOE was killed by inadvertent gunfire.
- Sgt. Dominic Guida of the Bunnell Police Department died from a heart attack.
- Sgt. Brian LaVigne of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office was killed by vehicular assault.
- Sgt. Michael Magli of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office was killed by vehicular assault.
- Police Officer Jesse Madsen of the Tampa Police Department was killed by vehicular assault.
- In addition to these deaths, 49 Florida Law Enforcement officers lost their lives in COVID-19 related deaths.
Law enforcement memorial 2022