Memorial

Remembering The Fallen

In 2008, the Waco Police Association joined other law enforcement organizations in McLennan County to dedicate a memorial monument to their fallen officers. The monument, which stands in Indian Springs Park between Washington Avenue and the Waco Suspension Bridge, includes the names of 21 officers from city, county, state and federal agencies who made the ultimate sacrifice. The memorial contains a center monument with the badges of these agencies, and is surrounded by stone walls where the names of the fallen are engraved.

Waco Police Department

Click on image to learn more about each officer.

Always Remember...

SGT. JOHN ROBERT "BOBBY" VICHA End of Watch: Tuesday, August 29, 1989	SGT. ROGER EARL BARRETT End of Watch: Saturday, June 12, 1976

SGT. DONALD HARTLEY BASQUETTE End of Watch: Sunday, February 11, 1969	OFFICER HOLLY RAY ANDERSON End of Watch: Tuesday, October 8, 1940

OFFICER ELMER HUDDLESTON End of Watch: Tuesday, July 2, 1040	OFFICER J.M. BASKIN End of Watch: Wednesday, August 28, 1936

OFFICER URBY J. THOMPSON End of Watch: Monday, July 25, 1933	SGT. CHARLES MAY GANTZ End of Watch: Wednesday, August 8, 1923

OFFICER WILLIAM D. MITCHELL End of Watch: Saturday, October 27, 1900	OFFICER ALPHEUS D. NEILL End of Watch: Tuesday, February 6, 1877 CITY MARSHAL LABEN JOHN HOFFMAN End of Watch: January 6, 1871

HONOR AND REMEMBER

Texas leads the nation in the number of officer deaths

The National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Foundation reports Texas leads the nation in 2008 in the number of officer fatalities. So far this year, seven Texas peace officers have been killed in the line of duty. As of June 30, 61 officers nationwide had made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Peace Officers Memorial Foundation honors Texas' fallen officers by providing assistance and support in a line of duty death. The foundation also offers college scholarships, sponsors the biennial Memorial Service at the Texas State Capitol and supports research to find and honor all Texas peace officers who throughout history have made the ultimate sacrifice. The POMF is a 501(c)3 charity of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.

The Officer Down Memorial Page is a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring America's fallen law enforcement heroes. More than 19,000 officers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the United States and ODMP pays a lasting tribute to each of these officers by preserving their memories within its pages.

► WPA BRIEFING ROOM

WPA President Anne Cyr backed by the WPA Board of Directors talks to the Waco media about the billboards along IH-35 on Oct. 21, 2008.

Waco is the 7th Most Violent City in Texas!

FBI Crime Statistics show Waco is becoming more dangerous. With an alarming increase in the number of drive-by shootings, home invasions, armed robberies and violent crime, the criminals are creating an atmosphere of fear in our city. Repeated attempts to warn the Mayor and City Council of Waco's growing crime problem have been ignored by the politicians at City Hall. They don't want to discuss the issue in a public meeting because they don't want you to know how dangerous our city has become.

That's why in Fall 2008, the Waco Police Association took its message to the community in the form of billboards along IH-35. The billboards were posted several weeks after a similar warning appeared in commercials on local television stations.