In a powerful gathering of remembrance and resolve, DeKalb County leaders, law enforcement officers, families, and community members came together this week to honor the lives of officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
The annual Fallen Officers Memorial Service opened with remarks from DeKalb County Interim Police Chief Gregory Padrick, who underscored the profound and lasting impact of each loss.
“They can have a profound effect on the officer’s family and friends, as well as their co-workers, forever,” Chief Padrick shared. “Many still search daily for answers. The law enforcement officers who protect and serve, and the families who stand by their side, deserve our deepest respect.”
Padrick spoke of the courage it takes to answer the call every day, knowing the risks involved. “Today we mourn every officer we have lost. We remember each name with a story—stories of sacrifice, courage, and incredible selflessness. Our safety is their legacy.”
Following Chief Padrick’s remarks, DeKalb County Public Safety Director Joseph “Jack” Lumpkin Sr. addressed the crowd, emphasizing the collective responsibility to honor and remember the fallen.
“We’re here today to officially honor the memory, the legacy, and mourn the loss of our fallen peace officers in DeKalb County,” Lumpkin said. “We’re here to grieve with their loved ones, to support this community’s continuing recognition of each loss, and to ensure we never, never, never forget those sacrifices.”
“These souls served and made the ultimate sacrifice for DeKalb County, the state of Georgia, and this great nation,” he continued. “They served and sacrificed for a purpose far greater than themselves.”
Before the names of the fallen were read aloud, DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Lorraine Cochran-Johnson delivered an impassioned address, reaffirming the county’s commitment to public safety and honoring the enduring sacrifice of the fallen.
“I’m saying that the greatest responsibility and duty an individual can have is the care of others,” Cochran-Johnson said. “And as a public servant, it is not a responsibility to be taken lightly.”
She highlighted the county’s investments in public safety, including the creation of a real-time crime center and a $10 million restructuring to increase officer compensation. “With all the investments we make, nothing can match the courage of the officers who step into that uncertainty each and every day,” she said. “They carry a weight that most of us will never fully understand.”
To the officers present, Cochran-Johnson offered heartfelt solidarity: “We see you, we support you, and we continue to fight with and for you. Because your duty is not just to us, but our duty is to you also.”
She closed with a m
essage to the families: “DeKalb County walks with you. We mourn with you, and we stand forever in your debt. May we honor their legacy not only with ceremonies like today, but with action, with policy, with protection, and with a gratitude that never fades.”
The service culminated with the solemn reading of names of officers lost in the line of duty, stretching from 1852 to 2021, each name a testament to sacrifice and service.
