Gulfport PD holds Fallen Officer Ceremony

Today law enforcement officers and family members gathered at the Gulfport Police Department for their annual Fallen Officer Ceremony.

Police departments across the country set aside this week to honor the men and women who lost their lives serving in the line of duty. The Gulfport Police Department remembered their ten fallen officers by hosting their annual Fallen Officers Ceremony. Police Chief Chris Ryle said, “Unfortunately, we have officers that lose their lives. One hundred and 25 have lost their lives this year in our country and more are going to come, but it’s just a great way to honor their devotion and their duty to sacrifice.”

Flags flew at half-staff, guns were fired, followed by fellow brothers in blue standing guard in front of the department’s memorial statue. “We did Taps, which is also consistent with that, then we read each officer who has been considered a line of duty death and then we placed a rose in their honor.”

Dorothy Gibson, mother of Robert J. Curry, says that although her son died almost 14 years ago, the pain still runs deep, but she says she can rest knowing her son passed doing something that he loves. “It is a dangerous job and it is what they want to do and someone has to do it, but you always pray that your children or whomever they are close to your heart won’t even mention it, but it’s what they want to do, it’s in their hearts.’

Gibson says she still remembers the exact moment she was told her son passed away in a traffic accident on Highway 49 near the Larkin Smith Post Office. “I will never forget that day as long as I live. I had gone shopping. I come home. Relatives of ours had come and she never comes in the morning, but she did and she says ‘Dot, I’m sorry.’ She says there has been an accident down south.”

The ten courageous fallen officers will forever live in the community’s hearts and minds.