Parkersburg FOP chapter conducts wreath ceremony
Local police officers, part of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79, place a memorial wreath Monday in front of the Parkersburg City Building to commemorate fallen officers nationwide during National Police Week. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
The Gary D. Deem Lifetime Achievement Award is presented Monday to Don A. Lindsey, a retired officer from Vienna who served as a K-9 officer, served on the Parkersburg-Wood County Narcotics Task Force and is now the Homeless Coordinator for the City of Parkersburg. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 held its annual awards presentation on Monday as part of National Police Week. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
The Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award is presented by Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 Vice President Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer to Jeff and Rena Craft of Mountaineer Power and Fiber Optics LLC of Vienna as West Virginia Auditor J.B. McCuskey looks on. The FOP Lodge 79 held its annual awards presentation Monday as part of National Police Week. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
West Virginia Auditor J.B. McCuskey is the guest speaker Monday at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 annual awards presentation Monday at the Parkersburg City Building. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Local police officers, part of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79, place a memorial wreath Monday in front of the Parkersburg City Building to commemorate fallen officers nationwide during National Police Week. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
The Gary D. Deem Lifetime Achievement Award is presented Monday to Don A. Lindsey, a retired officer from Vienna who served as a K-9 officer, served on the Parkersburg-Wood County Narcotics Task Force and is now the Homeless Coordinator for the City of Parkersburg. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 held its annual awards presentation on Monday as part of National Police Week. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
The Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award is presented by Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 Vice President Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer to Jeff and Rena Craft of Mountaineer Power and Fiber Optics LLC of Vienna as West Virginia Auditor J.B. McCuskey looks on. The FOP Lodge 79 held its annual awards presentation Monday as part of National Police Week. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
West Virginia Auditor J.B. McCuskey is the guest speaker Monday at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 79 annual awards presentation Monday at the Parkersburg City Building. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Trending
PARKERSBURG -- The Fraternal Order of Police Officers Lodge 79 held its annual wreath laying ceremony Monday outside the Parkersburg City Building in honor of National Police Week.
Nationwide, 246 police officers were killed in the line of duty, FOP Lodge 79 President BJ Depue said.
This year so far, there have been 49, he said.
"Each of those officers is a family," he said.
Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer, the lodge's vice president, read a proclamation from Gov. Jim Justice recognizing May 14-20 as National Police Week in West Virginia through the hard work and dedication of officers everywhere in protecting the people.
The lodge also held its annual awards presentation with guest speaker, Auditor J.B. McCuskey.
McCuskey spoke about how West Virginia honors and respects police officers and how that has made West Virginia a more desirable place to live for some around the country.
"There is an energy here that we haven't seen here in a while," he said of businesses and people looking at the state.
He also spoke about working with a number of officers towards the ends of their careers as part of the Public Integrity Fraud Investigation Unit to make sure local government bodies don't steal money.
The police officers make sure questions are asked and followed up on. The unit has prosecuted 43 people in the last six years for government fraud. It has 90 cases in front of a grand jury right now and over 100 more cases being investigated.
"We have committed ourselves to being a proper law enforcement agency," McCuskey said. "What that means is hiring and working with proper law enforcement folks.
"It has been a remarkable partnership and something I am really proud of."
Awards given out included:
* Officer of the Year – Detective James Zimmerman of the Parkersburg Police Department
* The Distinguished Citizen of the Year – Jeff and Rena Craft of Mountaineer Power and Fiber Optics LLC of Vienna
* The Gary D. Deem Lifetime Achievement Award – Don A. Lindsey, a retired officer from Vienna who served as a K-9 officer, served on the Parkersburg-Wood County Narcotics Task Force and is now the Homeless Coordinator for the City of Parkersburg.
A number of scholarships have been awarded, but officials did not have the names immediately available.
Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com