Local law enforcement officers, family members and community members gathered outside the Merced County Administration building on Wednesday, to honor fallen officers during the 19th annual Merced County Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony.

The event honors local, state and federal law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.

“This is an important opportunity for us in law enforcement as well as the community, to reflect and pay tribute to those peace officers and their families that made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting their communities,” said Merced County Undersheriff Corey Gibson.

According to the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, a total of 196 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in the United States since January 2023. Of those law enforcement deaths, seven of them occurred in the State of California in 2023 and two officers in California have died in the line of duty this year.

Since its establishment in 1855, Merced County has recorded 17 peace officer deaths in the line of duty. The names of those 17 officers appear on the Merced County Peace Officer’s Memorial wall located outside the county building.

Speaking during the ceremony, Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said he is proud of the men and women who wear the law enforcement officer uniform especially in Merced County, who go out every single day and take the risk.

“We’re here today to honor those that have gone before us in the line of duty and to remember them as the true heroes they are,” Warnke said.

During the ceremony, Atwater Police Chief Michael Salvador and Livingston Police Chief John Ramirez read aloud all 17 names of Merced County’s fallen officers accompanied by a single toll of a bell for each name.

A memorial stone was unveiled during the ceremony in remembrance of former Livingston Police Chief and Merced County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Charles “Chuck” Hale. According to Undersheriff Corey Gibson, Hale died in May of 2023 from complications from a surgery.

“This memorial stone being revealed to remind the community as well as the current and future law enforcement officers of the significant impacts Chuck Hale had on Merced County law enforcement,” said Gibson.

A Dos Palos native, Hale graduated from Dos Palos High School in 1994 and was hired by the Dos Palos Police Department in 1995 at the age of 18, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant during this time with the department.

Hale joined the Merced County Sheriff’s Office in 2002 where he served as a deputy sheriff until 2010 before then serving as a police officer and detective for the Newman Police department for two years. Hale was eventually promoted to the rank of lieutenant within the Merced County Sheriff’s Office and in 2021,

Hale served as the Interim Chief of Police for the City of Livingston. In 2022, Hale was asked to be the city’s permanent chief of police and did so while continuing to serve as a reserve deputy with the sheriff’s office.

Speaking during Wednesday’s ceremony, Merced County District Attorney Nicole Silveira called upon the community to honor respect and remember those who have been lost. Silveira said there will never be enough words, prayers condolences or ceremonies to truly pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have lost their lives and what their families have endured.

“Beyond placing their lives on the line, these officers put others ahead of their own mental and emotional well-being on a consistent basis. It is not something that we talk about as a society enough, in my opinion,” said Silveira. “The tragedies that officers have experienced and choose to continue to live with every day so that they can serve us is something that I believe is far too often overlooked,” she said.

According to Silveira, not only is it important to honor and respect the fallen officers and their families, but to also honor and respect the families of officers who continue to serve to this day.

Silveira said that not only has she been fortunate enough to work alongside law enforcement over the past 14 years, but that she has also had the opportunity to meet their families. Both those officers who have been lost and those who continue to serve.

“I can tell you that nothing is impactful as meeting the loved ones of those who support peace officers so that they can in turn support us,” said Silveira. “These families are strong, they are compassionate, they are steadfast and they too are truly public servants. We also recognize and pay respect to all of you today.”