Police remember fallen colleague, meet community at Law Enforcement Appreciation Day in Las Vegas
Many dressed in blue Saturday during the third annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, a day to honor the men and women sworn to serve and protect the Las Vegas Valley community.
But at this event at Police Memorial Park, 3250 Metro Academy Way in northwest Las Vegas, law enforcement officers also wore small black mourning bands across their badges to honor one of the fallen —North Las Vegas police detective Chad Parque.
Parque died in early Saturday morning from critical injuries suffered in a three-vehicle car crash Friday afternoon. He was 32.
“He died on this day, and it’s almost ironic,” said Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Eric Lloyd, vice president of the Injured Police Officers Fund, which will provide monetary and other assistance to Parque’s family.
“There is a weight on everyone’s mind,” Lloyd said. “Today is a celebration, but it’s sad. Some people here are just devastated since he was such a great officer and a great guy.”
While Parque’s death cast a shadow, officials carried on, working to keep Saturday’s event upbeat and festive for attendees. Many families brought young children to show their support and to check out displays from law enforcement agencies.
While a disc jockey played tunes, parents and children visited booths to meet McGruff the Crime Dog, pet a K-9 police dog or a police horse or see a police helicopter or a SWAT truck up close. Kids also got their faces painted and scrawled thank-yous to police officers on brightly colored sticky notes, which were affixed to a Metro cruiser for delivery to police headquarters.
The event shows community support that goes beyond any single agency, Clark County Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said. He told the crowd why he came clad in blue clothing instead of his Metro uniform.
“Because it’s not just about my police department; it’s across-the-board support for law enforcement.”
Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown spoke of the appreciation day’s importance. The event was founded after two Metro were shot to death in July 2014 while on a lunch break at pizza parlor.
”We’re at Police Memorial Park, and this will be here in perpetuity so we don’t ever forget,” Brown said. “There’s no question that we are here to thank those of you who do so much for us every single day.”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman reiterated her strong support for law enforcement officers and their families. She presented a letter from the city expressing its appreciation to those “who so valiantly, diligently and selflessly serve our community and its citizens. You have our eternal gratitude and appreciation.”
She said, “There is nothing — and I mean nothing — more important than safety and law enforcement. … Year in and year out, we are all so proud and grateful to each of you.”
Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.
