(BIVN) – Police Week ceremonies began on Hawaiʻi Island today, outside at the Hilo police station at the fallen officer memorial wall, Ka Malu Aloha.

The Hawaiʻi County Police Department joined the public to pay tribute to the officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.

This year’s event was especially emotional, as the name of fallen Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa was added to the memorial wall. Officer Kaliloa was killed in the line of duty on July 18, 2018. This is the first Police Week to occur since his death.

Police also honored Officer Manuel Cadinha, who gave his life in 1918, Officer William “Red” Oili, who gave his life in 1936, Officer Ronald “Shige” Jitchaku, who gave his life in 1990, Officer Kenneth Keliipio, who gave his life in 1997, and National Park Ranger Steve Makuakane-Jarrell, who gave his life in 1999.

Police Chief Paul K. Ferreira made the following statement at today’s ceremony:

“On October 1, 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a law designating May 15th of each year, as Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, and the week that it falls in as National Police Week.

National Police Week is when all police departments and communities throughout America honor and pay tribute to police officers who have died or who have been disabled while performing their duties as law enforcement professionals.

Sadly, for the Hawaii Police Department, this year in addition to the names of our fallen brethren that have been recognized during ceremonies in previous years, we pay special tribute to our brother Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa, who was killed in the line of duty on July 18, 2018.

As we gather here today, the Hawaii Police Department has a delegation of officers representing us at the National Police Week ceremonies being held at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. That memorial honors all of America’s federal, state and local law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty dating back to the first known law enforcement officer’s death in 1792.

During the ceremony in Washington D.C., Officer Kaliloa’s name will be unveiled on the blue-gray marble walls of the memorial, which now displays 21,910 names of law enforcement officials that paid the ultimate price, while upholding the laws created to protect all people. With the addition of Officer Kaliloa, there are now the names of 56 officers from the State of Hawaii who are memorialized on the National Law Enforcement Memorial.

For us here on Hawaiʻi Island, the names of our fallen heroes are etched onto the Hawaiʻi Police Department’s law enforcement memorial, “Ka Malu Aloha.” With the tragic loss of Officer Bronson Kaimana Kaliloa, last year, his name has been memorialized on our wall through the unselfish donation of Mr. Michael Sasaki, who also donated his talents during the building of our Memorial.”