68 fallen officers honored at New York State Memorial Remembrance Ceremony
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- In honor of the dozens of lives that have been lost across New York's various law enforcement agencies, an annual ceremony was held in Albany on Tuesday. The ceremony began with a mass held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church to remember 68 officers who have fallen.
"We should never forget those who put their lives on the lines for the citizens, for the people of our communities," said Bishop Avery Comithier, Albany Police Chaplin.
Following the mass, there was a procession to Empire State Plaza where the officers names were added to the hundreds others at the New York Police Officer's Memorial.
"Grief is the price you pay for love," said Governor Kathy Hochul. "If you didn’t love them so well, you wouldn’t be grieving every single day. But the love was surely worth it. The love is with it. That love is with you forever."
In attendance was Elaine Ruiz. Her husband, Capitan Richard Ruiz of the Port Authority Police was among those being honored.
"He was a hero," described Ruiz. "Good to everyone. He just really was the rock in our family. I have three children and I have three grandchildren and we miss him every day."
For law enforcement members currently serving, Governor Hochul shared this message.
"Despite what you hear sometimes out there in the rest of the world, you are appreciated," said Hochul. "You are respected and we honor your service day in and day out because this is what you’re willing to do—- the sacrifices witnessed here. You do that, nobody else does and we respect you for that. "
The names of more than 1,800 officers are engraved on the memorial wall, with a large majority from the New York Police Department. Names are placed randomly on the wall and without rank.