Multiple events will be taking place in upcoming days as the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office pays tribute to fallen Deputies Skip York and Burt Lopez, who were killed in the line-of-duty April 25th 2009, as well as Deputy Tony Forgione who died July 22nd, 2008.

This Sunday, Sheriff's deputies are authorized to wear black memorial bands over their Sheriff's badges in tribute to Deputies York and Lopez. They will do the same on July 22th.

In addition, the sacrifices of all three will be honored on May 6th at the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Luncheon sponsored by Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Chaplains. It takes place at Niceville Community Center, beginning at 11 a.m. The featured speaker will be Connie Barker, a local resident affiliated with C.O.P.S., Concerns of Police Survivors.

Deputies from the OCSO, including the Honor Guard and members of the motorcycle unit, will be participating and/or providing escort to our fallen deputies' families, for the Florida Law Enforcement Memorial Evening of Remembrance on Sunday, May 2nd in Tallahassee, as well as the Memorial Service outside the state Capitol on Monday, May 3rd.

The agency will also pay tribute to Deputies York, Lopez, and Forgione in similar fashion when OCSO deputies participate in events planned for National Police Week in Washington D.C., May 9th through the 15th. That includes the National Candelight Vigil for Fallen Law Enforcement Officers on May 13th, where Deputy York's and Deputy Lopez's names will be among the more than 320 newly engraved names on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

Sheriff Ed Spooner says, "We take time publicly and privately to reflect on the loss of these fine individuals, not only our co-workers but also our friends, who died while doing their jobs to protect the public. I thank our deputies who continue to meet the often tough demands of a law enforcement career, and I thank the citizens of Okaloosa County for their continued support of the men and women of our agency."