Nevada held its 25th annual Nevada Law Enforcement Officer Memorial ceremony Thursday on Capitol grounds. The service honored 144 Nevada Peace Officers who have died in the line of duty.
Five officers who passed away in the last year were remembered: • Officer Jason Swanger, LVMPD, died of COVID-19 in June. • Trooper Micah May, NHP, died of vehicular assault in July. • Deputy John King, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, died of COVID-19 in October. • Deputy Donald Peffenroth, Pershing County Sheriff’s Office, died of COVID-19 in October. • Cpl. Ignacio Romero, Lander County Sheriff’s Office, died of COVID-19 in November. Two historical deaths were located: • D/C Fire Marshall John Dorff, Nevada State Fire Marshall Division, died in May 1995 due to cancer-related illness; • Officer Marvin Scott, Henderson Police Department, died in August 1977 due to a heart attack. Law enforcement agencies from across the state, accompanied by a Pipe and Drum Corps, buglers, rifles teams and horse mounted officers participated in the memorial service. In 1998, the memorial was dedicated to recognize the ultimate sacrifice these officers made in service of their communities. The first officer to die in the line of duty was Carson County Nevada Territory Sheriff John L. Blackburn, who was killed in 1861 while making an arrest.
