BRIAN R. MARVEL
PORAC President

Honoring the Fallen, Expanding the Legacy

For those of us in this profession, the California Peace Officers’ Memorial isn’t abstract. It’s not just symbolic. It’s deeply personal.

We don’t walk those grounds as observers; we walk them knowing names. Partners. Academy classmates. Friends. People we worked beside, spent time together with off the job and expected to see again. The Memorial is where those stories and memories are made permanent. It’s where families return. It’s where we’re reminded, in the most real way possible, of what this job asks, and what it too often takes.

For many of you reading this, there’s a name on that wall that you will never forget.

The Memorial doesn’t stand on its own. It is carried forward every day by the dedicated work of the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Foundation (CPOMF) and its board, staff, advisors and sponsors.

CPOMF does more than maintain the Memorial. They ensure that every fallen officer is properly recognized, every name is added with care and every family is supported through the process. From the Honor Roll to the annual Memorial Ceremonies, they are the ones doing the work behind the scenes to make sure this place remains what it’s supposed to be, a living tribute.

Yet every year, the responsibility grows. More families. More names. More of us making that solemn walk. The hard truth is that space is running out.

As much as we pray and hope that the Memorial never grows, the reality is that it does so with every loss. In May, we gather for the Memorial Ceremony — and every year, more names are etched into that monument. That’s the reality we carry.

As more names are added each year, the current Memorial will eventually reach its limit. The Memorial expansion project is about getting ahead of that, making sure we never reach a point where we can’t honor someone who made the ultimate sacrifice.

That’s why the Memorial expansion project is so critical. This is not a minor addition — it’s a thoughtful, comprehensive upgrade designed to honor our fallen with:

• Space for the next 200 years of fallen officers, ensuring no one is ever left without a place of honor
• A more open, functional layout to accommodate the growing number of families and attendees at Memorial Ceremonies
• Dedicated areas for both gathering and private reflection, recognizing how people experience that space differently
• New sculptures and design elements that reflect the modern face of law enforcement and the breadth of assignments we serve in

This is about preserving the integrity of the Memorial — making sure it continues to feel the way it should when you step onto those grounds. There’s a difference between hearing about sacrifice and standing in front of it. The Memorial has a way of bringing everything into focus. The noise fades out. The politics disappear. What’s left is the reality of the profession, the cost, the commitment and the people behind the badge.

It’s not just a place we visit once a year. It’s where families come back, again and again. It’s where kids grow up seeing their parent’s name etched in stone. It’s where partners and departments find a moment to reflect and remember. That kind of place must endure. And it must be done right.

The goal is ambitious but worthy: complete the project in time for the 50th annual Memorial Ceremony in 2028, at a total cost of approximately $15 million.

PORAC has committed $250,000 to help lead that effort.

We made that commitment because this is our responsibility, too. CPOMF carries the mission forward, but it’s supported by all of us — by the profession, our associations and the members who understand exactly what this place means.

This isn’t about writing a check and moving on. It’s about making sure this gets finished the right way, with the level of care, permanence and respect that our fallen and their families deserve.

You don’t need to be told why this matters. If you’ve stood in front of that wall, you’ve felt what it represents. You’ve seen what it means to the families who come back year after year. This project is about making sure that experience never changes, no matter how many names are added, no matter how many years pass. The Memorial is a constant space for families to know their loved one is never forgotten. Now it’s about making sure that place is there — fully, permanently and without compromise — for every name that comes after.

Don’t just say we’re a family. Show it. I urge every association, every chief and every sheriff to get involved and help carry this expansion forward for the families who have already paid the ultimate price. Because honoring the fallen isn’t just something we say; it’s something we must build and protect for those who come next.

For more information and to donate, go to camemorial.org/expansion.