The Sheriff's Memorial Service
is held each year in May
at the Memorial Site
in front of the Sheriff's Office
55 W. Younger Avenue
PURPOSE
To create a permanent tribute to the men and women who have served the residents of Santa Clara County- past, present, and future - for their courage, dedication, and sacrifice.
DEDICATION
This memorial site is dedicated to the Peace Officers who have given their lives in service to the citizens of Santa Clara County and to their families who continue to feel the loss of their loved one.
DESCRIPTION
The site represents a tribute to all law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty while serving the citizens of Santa Clara Valley since statehood in 1850. The memorial includes 36 bronze plaques with the names of law enforcement officers from agencies throughout Santa Clara Valley who have fallen in the line of duty. Mr. Vic Riesau, a retired Los Angeles Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy, was commissioned to design a bronze relief depicting three (3) officers. Mr. Riesau is the artist who designed the California Peace Officers Memorial in Sacramento.
LOCATION
The county's law enforcement memorial site is located in front of Sheriff's Headquarters, 55 Younger Avenue, San Jose.
Name |
Date of Death |
Agency |
|---|
| Martin J. Roohan |
October 23,1862 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| W.W. Hendricks |
February 15, 1866 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| George T. Headen |
October 19, 1897 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| George Whybark |
March 14, 1910 |
Santa Clara Night Watchman |
| Morris V. Hubbard |
July 12, 1924 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Albert S. Margason |
March 27, 1927 |
Santa Clara County State Traffic Force |
| Herbert McAuley |
November 11, 1931 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| John Buck |
April 5, 1933 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Raymond H. Berry |
April 8, 1945 |
California Highway Patrol |
| John J. Covalesk |
November 15, 1950 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Ralph Vargas |
September 30, 1952 |
California Highway Patrol |
| Eugene Denton |
July 8, 1955 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| Gary L. Larson |
January 28, 1962 |
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety |
| Coburn V. Jewell |
February 1, 1964 |
California Highway Patrol |
| William L. Rickabaugh |
January 11, 1966 |
Santa Clara Police Department |
| Charles D. Lilly |
October 29, 1967 |
California Highway Patrol |
| Lester H. Cole |
January 31, 1969 |
Palo Alto Police Department |
| Richard E. Huerta |
August 6, 1970 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Gene A. Clifton |
November 19, 1971 |
Palo Alto Police Department |
| Bernard L Mendis |
October 20, 1971 |
Santa Clara Police Department |
| Charles W. Morris |
September 23, 1972 |
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety |
| William D. McKim |
February 6, 1973 |
California Highway Patrol |
| Adolfo M. Hernandez |
June 7, 1975 |
California Highway Patrol |
| Frederick W. Enright |
June 7, 1975 |
California Highway Patrol |
| Charles P. Fraker |
August 1, 1976 |
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety |
| Edward J. Roth |
November 29, 1980 |
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety |
| Spencer L. Little |
December 2, 1983 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| Robert A. White |
January 27, 1985 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Henry Bunch |
July 29, 1985 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Douglas B. Miller |
June 6, 1986 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| Manuel Lopez Jr. |
March 3, 1987 |
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety |
| Robert Wirht |
September 8, 1988 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Gordon A. Silva |
January 20, 1989 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Gene R. Simpson |
January 20, 1989 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Paul R. Bush |
September 12, 1990 |
Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office |
| Theodore H. Brassinga |
May 15, 1994 |
Palo Alto Police Department |
| Scott M. Greenly |
January 7, 1998 |
California Highway Patrol |
| Desmond J. Casey |
October 25, 1999 |
San Jose Police Department |
| Jeffrey M. Fontana |
October 28, 2001 |
San Jose Police Department |
A Part of America Died
Somebody killed a policemen today, and
A part of America died.
A piece of our country he swore to protect
Will be buried with him at his side.
The suspect who shot him will stand up in court,
With counsel demanding his rights,
While a young widowed mother must work for her kids
And spend alone many long nights,
The beat that he walked was a battlefield, too,
Just as if he'd gone off to war.
Though the flag of our nation won't fly at half-mast,
To his name, they will add a gold star.
Yes somebody killed a policeman to today.
It happened in your town or mine.
While we slept in comfort behind our locked doors,
A cop put his life on the line.
Now his ghost walks a beat on a dark city street,
And he stands at each new rookie's side.
He answered the call and gave us his all,
And a part of America died.
Author Unknown