Sheriff's Department Honors 142 Fallen Officers With All-Blue Ornaments On Christmas Tree

Dec 11, 2019 by apost team

Christmas is a time for families to gather and celebrate. Unfortunately, some families will be missing a loved one this Holiday Season. A few of these families lost a family member in the line of duty as a police officer.

One Indiana sheriff's office decided to recognize this loss. The Boone County Sheriff's office installed a Christmas tree, filled with blue ornaments, with each ornament honoring the life of one police officer who lost his or her life in the line of duty in 2018.

Boone County lost one of its own this year. Back in March, Deputy Jacob Pickett lost his life in the line of duty.

Three communications officers came up with the idea on Friday evening. Sheriff Mike Nielsen loved the idea of dedicating one blue ornament to each fallen officer. There are 142 ornaments on that tree. Each ornament has the officer's name, rank, and end of watch date.

apost.com

It is a way to honor Deputy Pickett and the other 141 officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. When the tree comes down in a few weeks, every ornament will be carefully packaged and sent to the department where the officer was on watch until the end.

The deputies and staff of the Boone County's Sheriff's office still miss Jacob Pickett. It's a feeling that is shared among police departments in many other areas of the country. It's a feeling that brings them together.

Every fallen officer is a life that mattered. For the departments who experienced a loss, it's a friend and a comrade lost. It's a desk chair that's empty. It's a patrol car sitting idle.

It's a life that meant something.

This Christmas Season, 142 families will come together. However, one of their members will not be there.

The loss of Deputy Pickett was a tragedy. But, out of this loss, a community comes together with a tighter bond. Today, the community loves and cares for its own with more intention than before.

This togetherness is something that Pickett and the other fallen officers would have wanted.

Please let us know your thoughts on this blue-ornamented Christmas tree and the meaning behind it. Also, give your friend and family the chance to see it for themselves.