Murrieta police Chief Mike Baray is among law enforcement officials scheduled to speak tonight at a Riverside ceremony honoring officers who have died in the line of duty.
Riverside County Sheriff Stan Sniff will host a "Blue Light Ceremony," at 6 p.m. at the Riverside County Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon Street, Riverside. During the service, readers will list the names of fallen officers.
Others scheduled to speak include Corona police Chief Mike Abel, Banning police Chief Leonard Purvis, Riverside police Chief Sergio Diaz, Supervisor Jeff Stone and Moreno Valley Mayor Richard Stewart.
Blue lights will illuminate the County Administrative Center, and participants will be encouraged to adorn their Christmas trees, wreaths and other holiday items with blue lights in remembrance of fallen officers.
At a "Blue Light Ceremony" held Nov. 29 in Palm Desert, the name of Cathedral City Police Officer Jermaine Gibson was added to the list of fallen officers.
This year's Palm Desert and Riverside events are part of the national campaign "to pay respect to our fallen officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, and recognize the loss their families have suffered in the name of community service," said sheriff's Cpl. Courtney Donowho, in a news release.
The Blue Light Awareness Program was established by the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) organization to enhance the public awareness of law enforcement deaths across the country, Donowho said.
The public is invited to take part in the ceremony.
