During the annual candlelight vigil that’s part of National Law Enforcement Week, the names of officers killed in the line of duty in the past year were read aloud. They included five AFSCME-represented officers we lost in 2024.
More than 100 AFSCME members attended various Law Enforcement Week events.
The vigil was held Tuesday on the National Mall in Washington. It was one in a series of activities meant to honor fallen law enforcement officers and support their surviving families and colleagues.
The names of the fallen are added every year to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. That’s the nation’s monument to officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“No matter the emergency, AFSCME members in law enforcement never hesitate and they never quit,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said. “They are selfless in the face of danger, putting the safety of others before their own.”
As we honor those who died in the line of duty, Saunders said, “We reaffirm our promise to support all who continue to keep our families safe. That support means fighting for better training, top-tier equipment, and adequate staffing — because their safety matters, too.”
AFSCME members who took part in the events including the vigil, reflected on the solemn occasion.
“It's a very somber event, and always strikes a nerve with me,” said Ron Walsh, corrections superintendent for the Schenectady County, N.Y., Sheriff’s Office.
“You will see the color guard escorting a family to their seats, and you'll sometimes see a father with their young son and you realize they just lost a mother. Or you'll see a mother with a young child who may have just lost her husband, and the young child a father,” said Walsh, president of AFSCME Council 82. “It brings a sense of why we do what we do as a union — lobbying for more safety and better benefits for officers across the country."
The five AFSCME-represented fallen officers whose names were added to the memorial wall this year are:
Andrew J. Faught, a 27-year-old correctional sergeant with the Illinois Department of Corrections whose end of watch (EOW) came on April 8, 2024. He had served for six years and was represented by AFSCME Local 494 (Council 31).
Daniel M. Kerstetter, a 45-year-old motor carrier officer with the Michigan State Police whose EOW was on Sept. 15, 2024. Kerstetter had served for two years and was represented by the Michigan State Employees Association (MSEA/AFSCME Local 5).
Andrew S. Lansing, a 25-year correctional officer with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, who was represented by the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA/AFSCME Local 11).
Corey P. Proulx, a two-year youth counselor with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, who was represented by AFSCME Council 32.
Davis G. Martinez, a 33-year-old agent with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. His EOW came on May 31, 2024, after he served six years. He was represented by AFSCME Local 3661 (Maryland Council 3). Council 3 members showed the union difference by making sure the state legislature passed the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act.
Rayneika Robinson, president of Local 3661, went to Law Enforcement Week ceremonies especially to honor Martinez.
“This is my first time attending the national memorial and candlelit vigil. I'm here to pay my respects and honor my colleague, who was murdered a year ago this month,” Robinson said. “This is a time to come together, support the family, and honor the work and the life of my colleague."