While the Alabama Sports Festival gives athletes and the citizens of Alabama a chance to shine, it’s the opening ceremonies of this event that took the opportunity to honor the every day heroes — those who wear a badge and carry a gun just to go to work.More than 1,200 members of the law enforcement community gathered in Birmingham at the June 20 opening ceremonies of the 26th annual Alabama Sports Festival. During the ceremony, they were honored for their service and presented with a Medal of Distinction or Medal of Valor.
The Medal of Valor, reserved for those that made the greatest sacrifice, was awarded to 61 police and correctional officers killed in the line of duty.
Each medal, bearing the Great Seal of the State of Alabama, was accepted by family members of the fallen officer.
On the record, Alabama reports 452 male and six female officers killed in the line of duty with the first being Officer William J. Street of the Huntsville Police Department. His ‘end of watch’ was Oct. 8, 1883.
During the ceremony, more than 1,100 Medals of Distinction were presented to police and correctional officers attending. Among those were four officers from St. Clair County.
Police Chief Dennis Matthews (16 years of service) and Officer Chris Cannon (24 years of service) of the Ashville Police Department, Police Chief Adam Pardue and Officer Wayne Walton (11 years of service) of the Odenville Police Department, Sgt Roy Spann of the Springville Police Department (22 years of service), and former Springville Police Chief Chris Isbell (25 years of service) attended the ceremony and each received a Medal of Distinction.
“It’s very important to recognize the service of law enforcement officers,” Cannon said. “Personally, the medal was great, but the recognition for law enforcement in general was what is important.”
Matthews said he enjoyed the ceremony and felt it was important to the public and the law enforcement community.
“It was a big deal,” he said. “About 1,200 officers from across the state attended. The event was worth going to see.”
In addition to the presentation of medals, officers and their families enjoyed a rousing presentation by event Grand Marshal Bobby Bowden, football coach of Florida State University.
“It was an outstanding event,” Walton, also a member of Alabama’s Fraternal Order of Police Honor Guard. “It was great to see our brothers and sisters in law enforcement being recognized on such a public level for their sacrifice.”
