AP
Winston-Salem, NC -- The 2012 North Carolina Peace Officers Memorial Day Ceremony was this morning at 11:00 am.
The event is a tribute to law enforcement officers from across the state who died in the line of duty. The ceremony will be held at Pinedale Christian Church located at 3395 Peters Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem.
This year's ceremony will recognized six officers who died in the line of duty since last year's ceremony. Their names are:
• Frederick "Fred" A. Thornton, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department;
• Warren "Sneak" B. Lewis, III, Nash County Sheriff's Office;
• Elieser "Eli" Colonroche, Sanford Police Department;
• Russell M. Willingham, Jr., Winston-Salem Police Department;
• David Jennings Dawson, III, Greene County Sheriff's Office; and
• Rick Rhyne, Moore County Sheriff's Office.
Attorney General Roy Cooper is expected to give welcoming remarks. This year's featured guest speaker is the Thomas G. Walker, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.The event is sponsored by the N.C. Department of Justice.
For more information on the ceremony, and to view the Peace Officers Memorial Day Honor Roll, visit the North Carolina Department of Justice website at www.ncdoj.gov.
NC Dept. Of Justice