Respect for Law Ceremony

SAUK COUNTY RESPECT FOR LAW DAY CEREMONY HONORS AREA PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL

Five names to be added to the Memorials at the May 13 observance

Baraboo, WI (May 1, 2019) – The Sauk County 2019 Respect for Law Day observance, an annual event that honors both current and past area Public Safety personnel including law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services, will be held on Monday, May 13 at 8:30 a.m. on the west side (Broadway Street) of the historic Sauk County Courthouse. County residents are invited to attend the observance which will include a flag and wreath ceremony, a rifle salute by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Lake Delton Police Honor Guards, brief remarks by Captain Jason Zeeh of the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the addition of four local names to the “Wall of Honor” Memorial located inside the Courthouse and one name to the outside Memorial. 

The inside wall currently memorializes 318 Sauk County men and women who served in law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services. Dedicated in May 2001, the “Wall of Honor” was placed inside the Courthouse by the Baraboo Optimist Club, a group who continues to partner with the area’s public safety teams.

In addition, a Memorial stands outside of the Courthouse that lists the names of five individuals who dedicated their lives to law enforcement and died in the line of duty including  Baraboo Police Officer Jeremiah Buckley, Sauk County Deputy James Jantz, Sauk County Sgt. Calvin Meeks, Sauk County Sgt. Stuart Searles and Sauk County Deputy Richard Weinke.  The outside Memorial was built in 1986 by members of the Sauk County Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Trooper Anthony Borostowski of the Wisconsin State Patrol will have his name added to the outside Memorial as he made the ultimate sacrifice.  Trooper Borostowski lost his life in the line of duty while working traffic patrol in Sauk County on April 11, 2017.

According to Sauk County Sheriff’s Office Detective Lieutenant Chris Zunker, the memorial event provides area public safety officials with the opportunity to honor their own and for the community to recognize and support their local teams.   “We encourage the public to attend to remember those officers that gave the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.  “Plus it’s a great time to thank the brave men and women who continue to serve and help to make us all stronger and safer every day.”

The names of the four local public safety officers that will be added this year to the memorial wall inside the courthouse include Roger Hasz of the Baraboo Fire Department, Albert Thermes and Frank Kaminski of the Delton Fire Department, and Sgt. William Hitchcock of the Lake Delton Police Department.

Also in attendance to place wreaths honoring their own will be representatives from the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office, Baraboo Police Department, Reedsburg Police Department, Lake Delton Police Department, Spring Green and Plain Police Departments, Town of Lavalle Police Department, Sauk Prairie Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

The Sauk County Respect for Law Day ceremony is held each year in conjunction with National Police Week, a nationwide observance signed into law in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, that honors law enforcement officers who have given their lives in service to their community and National Peace Officers Day.

Following the ceremony, all attendees are invited to the County Board Room in the Sauk County West Square Building for light refreshments.

Chip Meister

Sauk County Sheriff