BUTTE – Many law enforcement officers lost their lives while protecting and serving Butte over the past 127 years.
“For three years we’ve been planning to put up a memorial for law enforcement officers that have worked for Butte-Silver Bow in some capacity, whether with the sheriff’s departments and we did have some constable services a long time ago here,” said Butte Undersheriff George Skuletich.
Bernie Brophy of Butte Granite Works volunteered his time to engrave the memorial stone and donated it to Butte law enforcement, which will be placed next to the station on North Alaska Street.
“I think it’s just a tribute to their families and to those officers. I mean, they have the ultimate sacrifice to the citizens of Butte, so I think it’s just a way to honor their commitment,” said Skuletich.
The memorial will be unveiled during a ceremony sometime during National Police Week, which runs from May 12 until May 18.
“Dedicated to law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. Hugh celebration in Washington D.C. They do have the Law Enforcement Memorial there and it’s an amazing sight to see,” said Skuletich.
The two-ton memorial bears the names of 18 law enforcement officers and Butte has the sad record of having the most officers killed in the line of duty than any other city in the state of Montana.
“Butte was the largest city in the state at that time and it was violent times. There was union strife, there was all kinds of things going on at that time and so it was a very violent time for Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement,” said the undersheriff.
-John Emeigh reporting for MTN News
