On Thursday, November 10th, the Syracuse Police Department’s Chief’s Office sponsored a luncheon on behalf of Syracuse Police members and retirees who are currently serving or are Veterans.
The event was attended by almost forty current and retired members of the Syracuse Police Department, as well as Chief of Police Joseph Cecile and Deputy Chiefs Richard Shoff, Julie Shulsky, and Mark Russin. Officer Marlena Jackson of the Department’s Community Relations Division prepared and organized the event. Officer Jackson has, in the past, worked with and assisted Legion Post 1468, and her assistance is invaluable.
The Syracuse Police Color Guard opened the event with an impressive display of mounting various flags of our city, state, and nation.
Chief Joseph Cecile opened the event commemorating Police Officers and stated this was the first of what they hoped would be an annual luncheon. Cecile continued saying that many people chose to serve, and many people chose to serve twice. The Military and Law Enforcement have similar missions but bring with them attributes, training, and competence.
“I can always tell an Officer who is a Veteran.” Cecile continued, “The competence, bearing, and ability to take charge are evident at major events and crime scenes.”
Deputy Chief Mark Russin next spoke and said that the Syracuse Police Department has over 70 current veterans who have deployed over 80 times. The most common MOS of our members is either Missile Techs or Military Police.
Russin continued with a well-informed presentation on those who have served, going into the history of Veteran’s Day, which was developed from Armistice Day, whose origin was on the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Veterans Day occurs on November 11th every year in the United States in honor of the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918 that signaled the end of World War I.
Additional information on the origins of Veteran’s Day can be obtained by following this link to the Veterans Administration at https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/celebrate/vetday.pdf.
Providing an excellent foreground to the event was a series of colorful wreaths especially prepared for this event. Six wreaths were displayed, representing the six branches of military service, and they were placed in the proper order, thank you, Commander Haumann. Deputy Chief Russin stated these wreaths will be on display in the lobby of the Public Safety Building at 511 South State Street for one week.
The event was catered by the Limp Lizard Bar & Grill. Additional event photographs can be found in the Post 1468 20221112 Meeting PowerPoint movie on our YouTube channel youtube.com/@ValleyPost1468.