Patrol Contingent Attends National Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony In Washington, D.C.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Corporal Dennis E. Engelhard’s sacrifice was remembered during the National Law Enforcement Memorial Service this past weekend. His name was added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial, in Washington, D.C. Cpl. Engelhard was killed in the line of duty on Christmas Day, December 25, 2009. He was completing a traffic crash investigation on westbound Interstate 44 east of Eureka, MO, when a driver lost control of his vehicle on the ice covered roadway and struck him. Cpl. Engelhard is the 28th member of the Patrol to make the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting the citizens of Missouri.

Colonel Ron Replogle, Major Luke Vislay (Q/CIB), Captain Dale A. Schmidt (Troop F), Lieutenant John M. Enderle (Troop C), and Corporal Edwin A. “Eddie” Blaylock (Troop C) accompanied the Engelhard family to Washington, D.C., for the event, which took place during National Police Week. The officers also placed tribute cards at the National Law Enforcement Memorial near the names of the 28 troopers who’ve died in the line of duty since the department’s inception in 1931.

Each May, during National Police Week, Concerns Of Police Survivors Inc. hosts the National Police Survivors’ Conference. Law enforcement survivors from all across the nation gather for in-depth grief work and issue-oriented information sharing. Break-out seminar sessions allow survivors with like concerns and issues to discuss solutions to common problems. Special sessions are offered for co-workers, children, spouses, and extended family members, etc. The Engelhard family attended the survivors’ conference.

While in Washington, D.C., Cpl. Blaylock also served as escort to the family of Ralls County Sheriff Bernard J. Berghager who died in the line of duty in 2007. This year, four Missouri heroes were added to the National Law Enforcement Memorial: Patrol Cpl. Dennis Engelhard, Ralls County Sheriff Bernard Berghager, and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Sgt. Jeffry Kowalski (2008) and Officer Julius K. Moore (2009). A total of 123 officers who died in the line of duty (nationwide) were honored this year.

Thin Blue Line Candlelight Ceremony.

Major Luke Vislay, Captain Dale Schmidt, Lieutenant John Enderle, Corporal Eddie Blaylock and Colonel Ron Replogle pause for a photo with officers from Pennsylvania, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Major Luke Vislay, Colonel Ron Replogle and Captain Dale Schmidt with officers from England.

MSHP Surviving Spouse Deborah Tatoian, whose husband Trooper Ralph Tatoian was killed in the line of duty April 20, 2005, is pictured here with Captain Dale Schmidt, Colonel Ron Replogle and Major Luke Vislay.