Fallen officers honored with Light Ohio Blue
LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) - Hundreds of law enforcement officers and family members gathered Wednesday night for the kickoff caravan of Light Ohio Blue, a ten-day campaign to honor Ohio’s fallen officers.
Columbus Division of Police Assistant Chief Gregory Bodker was one of hundreds in attendance.
"When you see officers, it's moving,” he said. “To know that people in uniform are willing to sacrifice everything for the safety of citizens in their communities is moving and it's incredible.”
Three Ohio law enforcement officers died on duty in 2023. Officer Timothy James Unwin of the Springfield Township Police Department, Deputy Sheriff Marcus Zeigler of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, and Deputy Sheriff Joshua Hamilton of the Preble County Sheriff's Office all died serving their community last year and were honored during Wednesday's ceremony.
Connie Moyer knows what it's like to lose the person they love the most on duty. Her husband, Scott, was killed in 2017. She shared her story during Wednesday's ceremony.
"As a survivor, your heart is broken into a million pieces, and you just don't know what to do,” she said. “So helping other survivors get through and keep moving forward, rebuilding your lives is so important.”
Moyer now works with other survivors who have an emptiness in their lives after losing a law enforcement officer loved one through Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS).
"Lighting Ohio blue is a way that warms each of our survivors' hearts, knowing that our loved ones are still with us," she said of the campaign.
People are encouraged to display blue lights from May 8-18 to honor those fallen officers.
Moyer knows how important it is to look after current officers as well. She encourages mental health prioritization.
"They see such things that they try protect us from,” Moyer said. “And by golly, they have to get through this stuff, too. Be a little patient because they're human, too. We're all human.”
The caravan of more than 100 police cruisers from dozens of different departments left Lancaster around 6:30 Wednesday. They drove to Circleville, then to Columbus with several stops in between to honor families who lost loved ones, including the family of Sgt. Gary McDonald, who served for more than 20 years in the Madison Township Police Department. His family gathered on the lawn next to the police station to be together and watch the procession go by, all flashing blue lights.
"It's very overwhelming,” Terri Babbert, McDonald’s sister, said. “I mean, just the outpouring of love that you get from fellow police officers and their families, it's just it's overwhelming.”
She said it's important for her to recognize the sacrifices of other officers and support their families, just like her brother would have.
"My brother was always about serving his country, his community,” Babbert said. “When he came back from Vietnam, he came and started on the Madison Township Police Department, retired here, was here 20-some years.”
The caravan arrived in Downtown Columbus at the police headquarters around 9:30 p.m. to finish the caravan.
Light Ohio Blue goes until May 18. For more information, visit the program’s website.