Minnesota honors 314 fallen officers in solemn St. Paul ceremony

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) – Families and officers gathered outside the state capitol on Friday to remember and honor Minnesota’s fallen law enforcement officers.

Families honor loved ones killed in the line of duty

What we know:

The Peace Officers Memorial Day event began with a 24-hour vigil Thursday night, where officers from around Minnesota stood guard at the memorial.

The day included moments of silence, the playing of Taps and several wreath-laying ceremonies.

“Every once in a while, something tragic happens and somebody dies in the line of duty,” said Chief Brian Hubbard, president of the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association, which organized the service.

According to organizers, 314 officers have died in the line of duty in Minnesota.

Behind every name is a family, a story and painful memory.

Tina Arendt of Cold Spring was young when her father, Stearns County Senior Sheriff’s Deputy Edwin Arendt, 61, died in the line of duty in November 1987. On Friday, she laid a wreath in his memory.

“It was just a random accident out in the middle of the country, and he didn’t make it home,” she recalled. “Things I remember about him – he loved his job. He loved being out helping people. There wasn’t a day that he wasn’t proud and honored to wear the badge.”

The event was as much about supporting families as it was about honoring the fallen.

“The main heart behind doing this is to make sure that those family members, those survivors left behind, know that we won’t forget about them,” said Hubbard.

The vigil and service at the memorial

Timeline:

The 24-hour silent vigil began Thursday night and ends Friday night. Officers took turns standing guard at the memorial throughout the day and night.