Tuesday, May 24, 2011

NEWS: Palmdale Sheriff's Station honors fallen deputy with memorial wall


“‘No greater love has any man who has laid down his life for his friends,’ John 15:13. In this case in law enforcement it goes beyond that, because they lay down their lives for people they don't even know," said Sergeant Kyle Blistline before the opening prayer for the May 11 memorial for Richard Hammack, who was only 31 when he was killed in the line of duty.

The Palmdale Sheriff’s Station has a memorial service for Hammack every, year but this year was special. This year they got to dedicate a beautiful patio that the station was able to raise money to construct in memory of the deputies who have lost their lives.

Hammack is the only Palmdale deputy who has been killed on duty.

May 11 1994, Hammack and the narcotics bureau were serving a search warrant when the suspect who was selling meth out of his house began shooting at the deputies. Hammack was able to gain entry, but was shot several times and died from his injuries.

He was engaged and had recently found out that his fiancé was pregnant.

"Richard was one of these ‘okie doke’ kind of guys. He would give you the shirt off his back. He was very easy-going and full of life," Captain Bobby Denham said while reminiscing about his friend. "He would be humbled to see all of this today."

Hammack played a big role in the Antelope Valley and at the station.

"He constantly talked about being a deputy sheriff. When he made it, he went to work and loved it just like he knew he would. He convinced me to come down and take the test. So here I am 20 years later, trying to follow in a big man’s footsteps," said Hammack’s cousin Sergeant Allen Young.

Various public figures came to show their support as well, such as City Manager Steve Williams, Public Safety Director Anne Ambrose and City Councilman Mike Dispenza.

The patio area is currently at the half-way mark of being completed. The actual patio and the brick wall are finished.

The Palmdale deputies and volunteers all had an opportunity to buy a brick for $30 that has their name, rank and when they started engraved on it.

The station and the boosters have a lot in the works including a raised concrete area for an outdoor kitchen, ceiling fans, misters, lights and sound system and a granite wall with the deputy's Oath of Office, a list of the fallen deputies and a giant bronze star with a water feature.

"We decided that no matter how long it took, or how much it cost we were going to do it right, because that was the right thing to do," said Denham.

The station is currently putting together an order for their second round of bricks. With the amount of people who were there to show their support, the patio should be done in no time.

-By Sarah Niemann