The 2012 Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony was held Monday, May 14th at 10:30am at the Solomon Ortiz International Center Outdoor Plaza. The Ceremony was hosted by the Corpus Christi Police Department, the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office and the Port of Corpus Christi Police Department and honors all local peace officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Corpus Christi Police Chief Floyd Simpson (Pictured above with the Corpus Christi Police honor Guard) was the keynote speaker for the 2012 Sixth Annual Coastal bend Regional Peace Officer’s Memorial Day Ceremony. Nueces County Sheriff Jim Kaelin and Port of Corpus Christi Police Chief H. Archambo delivered testimonials in honor of the officers. City Council Member Chris Adler read the City Council Proclamation that designated May 15 as Police Memorial Day. The Corpus Christi Citizens Police Academy Alumni served a lunch to all who attended the ceremony.

Twenty one Peace Officers were honored for having sacrificed their lives in service for their community. The Officers honored were:

Corpus Christi City Marshal Elias Mussett, End of Watch May 6, 1892;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Luther Prather, End of Watch September 14, 1919;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Joseph Moon, End of Watch June 10, 1938;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Roy Smith, End of Watch April 20, 1953;

Corpus Christi Police Officer John Sartain, End of Watch August 20, 1971;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Ruben Almanza, End of Watch July 27, 1984;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Joseph Bock, End of Watch September 9, 1987;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Juan Prieto, End of Watch February 2, 1993;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Matthew Thebeau, End of Watch January 20, 2008;

Corpus Christi Police Officer Stuart Alexander, End of Watch March 11, 2009;

Port of Corpus Christi Police Officer James Saavedra, End of Watch December 19, 2007;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Nolan, End of Watch August 13, 1860;

Nueces County Sheriff Matthew Nolan, End of Watch December 22, 1864;

Nueces County Sheriff Dennis Kelly, End of Watch June 13, 1870;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy Thomas Shaw, End of Watch September 1877;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy Alexander Downs Jr., End of Watch October 16, 1932;

Nueces County Sheriff’s Deputy, Lieutenant Irvin Brown, End of Watch February 13, 1995;

Nueces County Constable Patrick Freely (Precinct 1), End of Watch March 25, 1917;

Nueces County Constable’s Deputy R.R. Bledsoe (Precinct 1), End of Watch July 5, 1925;

Nueces County Constable Carl Bisbee (Precinct 1), End of Watch July 6, 1925;

Nueces County Constable’s Deputy Patrick Runyon (Precinct 6), End of Watch February 7, 1981.