FRESNO – A new monument has opened in the city of Fresno, honoring the legacies of those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
On Oct. 29, community members and local law enforcement leaders gathered for the dedication ceremony of the Fresno Sheriff’s Memorial, located at the Area 2 Metro Substation. The memorial has been in the making for nearly four years, but will now forever honor the legacies of 21 law enforcement officers who lost their lives in service.
“Today we’re here to show our respect, and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in the line of duty, and to always remember that they are the reason this memorial was built,” said Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni during his address.
The memorial, along with the accompanying Fresno Sheriff’s Memorial Foundation, is in large part thanks to Zanoni, retired sheriff Margaret Mims and the late Steve Magarian, former sheriff who passed earlier this year. After the opening invocation and a rendition of the National Anthem, a video was played to honor the efforts of the three, featuring a narration and interview clips from Magarian before his death.
Zanoni expressed deep joy that Magarian was able to see the culmination of the foundation’s work shortly before his passing.
After the video, attendees got to witness the laying of the ceremonial wreath, the lighting of the memorial’s eternal flame and a reading of the Roll of Honor.
Throughout the roll call, Zanoni called out the names of the fallen followed by the ringing of a ceremonial bell. For each name, a dove was released and a bronze badge was unveiled on the memorial’s Wall of Honor.
Sheriff’s office staff and family members of those honored left sunflowers at the base of the memorial’s lion statue, leaving a beautiful array of gold and green at the foot of the bronze guardian.
After the roll call, family members of the late Toamalama Scanlan, whose end of watch was on Oct. 12, 2021, performed a Polynesian cultural dedication. The traditional dance and accompanying music brought a bittersweet lift to the ceremony’s tone.
As one of the ceremony’s final moments, a lone guard led a riderless horse through the memorial, equipped with an empty saddle and a pair of empty boots facing to the rear. The centuries-old military and law enforcement tradition represents the fallen officer who will ride no more, and the disarray brought unto the world through the loss of an officer.
After the ceremony, attendees had the opportunity to explore the memorial itself, and appreciate its thorough detail. The design and construction was a collaborative effort between numerous committee members, architects, engineers and materials vendors.
Nearly every aspect of the memorial has a specific meaning or is a form of symbolism, down to the types of boulders used and the trees planted. Informational plaques and museum-style labels explain the significance and history surrounding each part of the memorial, weaving a reflective atmosphere into the experience.
The main feature of the memorial, of course, is the Wall of Honor, which features a flow of water down the wall and is adorned with bronze badges inscribed with the names of the fallen. The 21 honored are:
- Deputy Joseph Price, end of watch March 13, 1907
- Constable Aquila Chamness, end of watch Sept. 22, 1917
- Constable Frederick Smartt, end of watch Aug. 16, 1918
- Constable George Boyle, end of watch Nov. 18, 1924
- Deputy John O’Leary, end of watch March 31, 1931
- Deputy William Collins, end of watch Feb. 25, 1937
- Constable Oliver Mitchell, end of watch April 29, 1950
- Sergeant Richard Bain, end of watch Nov. 16, 1961
- Constable Iver Johanson, end of watch Dec. 15, 1961
- Constable Richard Vasquez, end of watch Jan. 26, 1962
- Deputy Harold Hurst, end of watch Oct. 2, 1968
- Deputy David Graves, end of watch Nov. 5, 1982
- Deputy Jeffrey Isaac, end of watch Sept. 8, 1997
- Deputy Erik Telen, end of watch Aug. 21, 2001
- Deputy Dennis Phelps, end of watch May 19, 2002
- Deputy Joshua Lancaster, end of watch May 29, 2003
- Deputy Joel Wahlenmaier, end of watch Feb. 25, 2010
- Sergeant Rod Lucas, Oct. 3,1 2016
- Deputy Jose Mora, end of watch Sept. 7, 2020
- Correctional Officer Toamalama Scanlan, end of watch Oct. 12, 2021
- Correctional Officer Juan Cruz, end of watch Nov. 5, 2021
“We know that we will see them again on the other side, but until then, we must honor their deaths in the best way we know possible,” Zanoni said in his address. “This memorial is a tribute to honor and respect their legacy as members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.”
