“When most people see a badge, they see a symbol,” she said Thursday evening. “But those of us who have lived close to this profession, who have sat across the dinner table from someone who wore one, we see something different.”

She then told the stories of 13 fallen Blair County officers, including her father, who was shot by a suspect on March 27, 1985, after responding to a domestic dispute on Swinging Bridge Road.

“He was a son, a brother, a husband and a father to my brother and I,” she said while struggling to hold back tears.

While some attendees were seen wiping their tears, Peacock said that the best way to honor the fallen is to remember them so their sacrifices aren’t lost to time.

Jessica Peacock was the guest speaker during the 34th annual Blair County Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service at the courthouse in Hollidaysburg on Thursday evening. Peacock’s father, Blair Township Police Patrolman Ronald J. Turek, was killed in 1985. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“It means looking at a photograph or searching for a newspaper article, and not just seeing a uniform, but seeing a face,” she said.

Allegheny Township Assistant Police Chief Paul Mummert reflected on Peacock’s message following the service, emphasizing that fallen officers were sons, daughters, fathers, mothers and friends.

“It’s humanizing the badge,” he said.

For 34 years, the Blair County Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service has paid respect to fallen soldiers, Mummert said, as it was created in Turek’s memory.

Locals have gathered in front of the Blair County Courthouse to pay their respects every year since, he said, emphasizing that the community supports law enforcement.

Pennsylvania State Trooper Jeffrey Beal places a rose at the Blair County Law Enforcement Officers memorial for Trooper Landon Weaver during the 34th annual Blair County Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service at the courthouse in Hollidaysburg on Thursday evening. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“It’s important for people to remember the names that are on the wall and realize that they’re more than just a name,” Mummert said.

In attendance was Turek’s sister, Cheryl Lontz, who continues to remember her brother’s legacy. With tears in her eyes, she said the ceremonies remain very important to her, as they remind her that her brother isn’t forgotten.

“It makes them more of a person, not just someone in uniform who was doing their job,” she said. “It brings that personal aspect in.”

She said people must understand that those who’ve fallen while on duty had families and enjoyed the humor in life.

“They were a badge, but they were so much more than that badge,” she said. “And they are worth every word, every moment of silence, every year we come back, to say so.”

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.