Santa Cruz fallen officers honored in Washington, D.C.

Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel is carrying with him the memories and tributes to Sgt. Butch Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler to Washington, D.C. as part of National Police Week.

Their families and 12 other Santa Cruz police department personnel are in the nation’s capital participating in ceremonies. National Police Week is celebrated and recognized all across the nation.

The week includes a ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Memorial to honor those who were killed in the line of duty in 2013. It’s the nation’s monument honoring federal, state and local law enforcement officers. The memorial has two blue-gray marble walls. The names of more than 20,000 officers are carved in the wall. Those names represent all those who have been killed in the line of duty dating back to the first known death in 1791. This year, 286 names will be added to the wall, including Sergeant Loran “Butch” Baker Jr. and Detective Elizabeth Butler.

On Monday, a Police Unity Tour bicycle ride took place honoring each of the fallen officers. Tuesday is a candlelight vigil, which Santa Cruz police said the department will be live-streaming so the staff who could not make the trip can watch the ceremony.

A proclamation will be read by the mayor at the regular city council meeting Tuesday.