Lantana Police
Department
Memorial to Fallen
Officers
Reserve
Lieutenant Alfred Garrison
to be One of Two Officers
Honored
Reserve
Lt. Garrison and Sergeant Andrew Redding were killed in the line of
duty 28 years apart.
By Reserve
Sergeant Ronald W. Shearouse
Lantana Police Department,
Florida
Click here to go to the Lantana
Police Reserve Site
The Town of Lantana,
Florida, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, May 23,
2003, to clear the path for construction of the Lantana
Police Fallen Officer Memorial. In the history
of the Lantana Police Department, there have been two Officers
killed in-the-line-of-duty. The first Officer down was
Sergeant Andrew Redding who was killed in an automobile crash on
February 12, 1974. The most recent in-line-of-duty death was
Reserve Lieutenant Alfred "Al" Garrison (Pictured at right) who was killed by a vehicle
while he was directing traffic in front of a local church following
a service. Reserve Lieutenant
Garrison, age 78, was instrumental in the origination of the
Lantana Police Reserve Unit in 1965; and he was with the Department
until his death on Sunday, December 2, 2001.
Chief of Police Rick Lincoln
said: "Both Officers gave their lives protecting the community,
and we will never forget them. The planned Memorial will serve
as a perpetual reminder to the community of their supreme sacrifice,
as well as the sacrifice of all Law Enforcement Officers who have
given their lives in-the-line-of-duty." The last update
in August, 2003, NRLO was informed that they have been successful in
appropriating approximately $18,000 toward their goal of
$75,000. 
The fountain and reflecting
pools are being constructed along the sidewalk area of
Greynolds Circle between the Police Department and Town Hall.
The Memorial is scheduled to be fully completed by December, 2003,
with a projected cost of approximately $75,000. "We
want the community to play a major role in this project and are
looking to our residents and business leaders for assistance funding
this project," said Chief Lincoln. "We recognize
that this project is a very ambitious undertaking; however, it is
one that we definitely feel is worthwhile and extremely
important. The end result of this effort will be a Police
Memorial that our entire community will be able to enjoy and to be
proud of," added Chief Lincoln.
RENDITION OF THE
LANTANA POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FALLEN OFFICER
MEMORIAL: THE STRIKING DESIGN OF THE FALLEN
OFFICER MEMORIAL WAS CREATED BY LOCAL ARCHITECT, TERRY LEE; AND IT
IS BASED ON THE THREE PHASES OF THE "CYCLE OF LIFE" CONTAINED WITH
FOUR FOUNTAIN REFLECTING POOLS. JOHN RAWN, A LOCAL CONTRACTOR,
IS OVERSEEING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MEMORIAL. BOTH OF
THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE DONATED THEIR TIME
AND EXPERTISE TO THIS PROJECT. (Photograph provided by Lantana
Police Department)
The Department
still needs a major part of the funds to complete this outstanding
Memorial to these fallen heroes. If you would like to
contribute to this fine Memorial for fallen Officers, please send
checks payable to the Town of Lantana to 500 Greynolds Circle,
Lantana, FL 33462; and write "police memorial" on the memo line of
the check. Specific recognition will be given to individuals
and organizations at four levels of contribution through stamped
bricks and placards within the Memorial. The sponsor
designations are: Bronze ($100 or greater), Silver ($500 or
greater), Gold ($1,000 or greater) and Platinum ($2,500 or
greater). Chief of Police Lincoln said, "Any and all
donations will be greatly appreciated, regardless of the
amount."
"Remember, when a Police Officer is killed - it
is not only a community that loses an Officer - it is the entire
nation." Reserve Sergeant Ronald
Shearouse
Web
Author Note: The NRLO staff and its Members send
condolences to the familiy of Lieutenant Alfred Garrison and to his
fellow Officers at the Lantana Police Department. He has been
added to NRLO's Memorial
page. Lieutenant Garrison is also remembered by his
fellow Officers with a special remembrance on the "Officer Down
Memorial Page" at www.odmp.org.
*********************************************
2003/07 - 2003/08
NATIONAL RESERVE LAW OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 6505
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78209
(210) 805-8917 FAX
(210) 804-2463 | 
