Members of the Houlton Police Department, Aroostook County Sheriff's Office, along with several other agencies and the public gathered at the Houlton Police Department on May 13, 2009 for a ceremony to remember and honor the 82 officers whose names appear on the law enforcement memorial in Augusta and the 18,274 names engraved on the national monument in Washington D.C.

Ceremonies, such as this one, are being held in communities all across this country to pay homage to the police officers who gave up their lives in the performance of their duties and also to express our gratitude to their families for their sacrifices.

America will forever remain in debt to these officers and their families.

To date in 2009, 49 police officers have been killed in the line of duty. On average a police officer is killed every 53 hours in this country, yet brave men and women still continue to join our ranks and swear to preserve the peace and quality of life in towns and cities across America.

Whether it’s a seasoned veteran or an officer just out of the academy, these heroic men and women, and their fallen comrades are linked by a common ideal -- that freedom is worth defending and that justice shall prevail.

We live today in a world fraught with danger, a world of greater demands for our police officers, a world where more and more men and women will be called to make the ultimate sacrifice. We go forward, knowing the risk, knowing the cost, and knowing what must be done.

I would like to take a moment, at this time, to speak about one of America’s law enforcement heroes. Mr. Robert Cadigan of Houlton is present with us here to today. Mr. Cadigan’s brother, Lt. Paul C. Cadigan was a 20 year veteran of the Hingham Police Department in Hingham, Massachusetts. He became a Hingham police officer in 1971, promoted to sergeant in 1983 and later retired with a service related disability in 1991 as a lieutenant.

Lt. Paul Cadigan

In 1981, Lt. Cadigan was awarded the National Law Enforcement Award for Bravery for his actions during an armed robbery at a supermarket. The robber in this case hijacked a car and held hostage three frightened teenagers. Lt. Cadigan spotted the suspected hijacker and gave chase which traversed three separate jurisdictions. There were times when the suspect was firing his weapon at Lt. Cadigan but he continued his pursuit. After the suspect crashed the vehicle and fled on foot, Lt. Cadigan continued the chase. Again, an exchange of gunfire occurred whereupon the suspect was wounded and subsequently arrested. Lt. Cadigan passed away in February of this year. His proudest achievement was receiving the Outstanding Arrest Citation from the National Chiefs of Police Association. Lt. Cadigan, we salute you sir and may you rest in peace.

Regardless of the color of your uniform, the jurisdiction displayed on your shoulder patch, every officer wearing a badge displays the same courage everyday. We place ourselves in danger on every traffic stop, on every domestic violence call, and every time we walk through a door not knowing what is there waiting for us.

Whether citizens are sleeping, having Thanksgiving dinner, celebrating Christmas or enjoying a weekend with their families, police officers are always there serving as a barrier between chaos and order, the lawless and the lawful, the aggressor and the aggrieved.

Each officer, whose name appears on a monument somewhere in this country today, displayed courage and a commitment to serve and protect.

Thankfully, no officers were killed in Maine last year. There are no new names to add to the monument. I pray each day that this trend continues but if the unthinkable happens know that you aren’t forgotten and memories of you will burn bright in our prayers and hearts forever.

I would like to close by reading a short poem.