TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Many gathered in Nogales today in memory of their local police officers who died while on duty. It’s part of an annual peace officer’s memorial ceremony when families and friends can honor their loved ones. Since 2018, two of the 65 officers in the Nogales Police Department were killed while on duty. One of them was Jeremy Brinton, who was struck by a car and killed while directing traffic in may of this year.
“Jeremy, he wasn’t for everybody," said Denise Brinton, Jeremy's wife. "Jeremy was very straight forward you always knew where you stood with him. And I love that about him.”
Denise and Jeremy Brinton were married for nine years and had two kids together.
“It’s felt beautiful feeling that support that love that caring that not only they had for my husband, they have for my husband, but that they have for us as well," Brinton said. "And they continue to take care of us everyday.”
Nogales has a ceremony every year to remember officers who died. This year’s ceremony was organized by the Fraternal Order of Police. A member of the order read off the names of 19 officers who died while serving in Santa Cruz County. The Mayor of Nogales, County Attorney and Chief of Police shared their condolences.
“They don’t lose their lives, they give their lives for their community and that’s exactly what my officers did,” said Chief of Police Roy Bermudez.
Friends and family of the fallen officers came, including Alyssa Cordova. Her husband was shot and killed after a car-jacking in 2018.
“At the time of his death I was five months pregnant with our fourth child, he was named after his father,” Cordova said. “It’s been almost four years, and coming back here takes me back to the first day."
Cordova and Brinton walked hand-in-hand, and each placed a black rose in the wreath, in memory of their husbands.
“We talk about him every single day," Cordova said. "And to have a community that supports that and doesn’t allow their memories to fade it means everything.”
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