By Shannon Lukens.
It is National Police Week. Those in the Steamboat Springs Police Department and Routt County Sheriff’s Office will honor and remember four fallen peacekeepers in Routt County in a special remembrance. It’s at 11 a.m. this Wednesday, May 17 in the Combined Law Enforcement Facility at 2027 Shield Drive.
From the City of Steamboat Springs; May 14, 2023.
National Police Week Honors Officers Lost in Line of Duty
Week Dedicated To Recognizing America’s Law Enforcement Community
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-May 14, 2023-The Steamboat Springs Police Department and Routt County Sheriff’s Office will honor and remember the four fallen peacekeepers of Routt County during National Police Week, which runs from May 14-20, 2023. The week recognizes officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
“Every time law enforcement officers head out on patrol to protect the community, they are putting their lives on the line – every shift, every day,” commented Police Chief Mark Beckett. “It’s imperative that we never forget the service of those individuals who paid the ultimate sacrifice and continue to carry that commitment with each of us every shift.”
Local law enforcement agencies will host a special Police Week remembrance on Wednesday, May 17 at 11am. The event is open to the community and will take place outside (weather permitting) of the Combined Law Enforcement Facility at 2027 Shield Drive, followed by a reception in the community room.
“We’re called to this profession for different reasons; but our underlying loyalty is to serve and protect the Yampa Valley,” said Routt County Sheriff Doug Scherar. “We understand the risks that come with the badge; and this special day honors that dedication and shows our gratitude.”
Routt County has four law enforcement members who have been killed in the line of duty. Two deputies with the RCSO, one officer with SSPD and the town marshal with the Oak Creek Police Department.
Deputized Civilian Val Hoy was shot and killed while riding with a posse attempting to arrest a man wanted for cattle rustling and the shooting of a teenage boy on a ranch near Rock Springs, Wyoming, just north of the Colorado border. Deputy Hoy was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War. EOW: March 1, 1898.
Town Marshal Clem Eller was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for selling illegal liquor at a dance hall. As Marshal Eller approached, the subject drew a handgun and fatally shot him. The suspect was convicted of Marshal Eller’s murder and sentenced to life in prison. EOW: November 5, 1927.
Deputy Sheriff Charles Gibbs, Sr., was killed when he was caught in an avalanche 22 miles northwest of Steamboat Springs while on his way to serve papers on two miners. A search party found his body under tons of snow the next day. Deputy Gibbs was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI. EOW: March 21, 1929.
Officer James Chew was shot and killed by an escapee from a Washington state prison. The suspect had been the focus of a manhunt in the area for several days. Officer Chew was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Steamboat Springs Police Department for four years. EOW: July 28, 1972.
In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others.
