About 3,000 law enforcement officers gathered in Sacramento Monday for the California Peace Officer's Memorial.
Officers on horseback led a procession from the State Capitol across tenth street to the monument.
Bagpipers played as the families of five men, four who died in the line of duty last year, walked through a column of saluting officers.
Officers on horseback, then bagpipers, and then family of the officers walked a path lined by law enforcement attending the tribute.
California Supreme Court Justice Tani Cantil Sakauye praised the officers and offered condolences to their families.
"It is one of the few — if not only — roles in government that require that the oath that you take be in support of physical protection of others," Cantil says.
Three thousand officers from across the state attended. Fred Godinez is a detective from Walnut Creek and a member of their color guard.
"As a patrol officer, I think it's really important to pay homage to those officers that are no longer with us and once again ground us to what the outcome of what our jobs may be as well," Godinez says.
Gov. Jerry Brown called it an honor to be part of the ceremony.
"The solemnity and the dignity that this event projects represents the importance, the profound importance, of remembering — particularly when police officers and sheriffs are coming under increasing criticisms and a lack of appreciation for what's at stake," he says.
Michael Johnson of San Jose PD, David Nelson of Bakersfield PD, Scott Paul Lunger of Hayward PD and Bryce Hanes of San Bernardino PD died in the line of duty last year. Long Beach Police officer William Waggoner died in 1954 and was added to the memorial this year.
The memorial contains the names of about 15,000 officers in California who died in the line of duty.
Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio
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