Remembering our Iowa heroes in blue

This article originally appeared in The Gazette on May 23, 2024

Few things strike at the heart of a community more than when a police officer is lost in the line of duty. As a community and as a nation, we mourn their loss, recognizing that their sacrifice came in defense of our freedom and way of life. Recently, thousands of Americans gathered in Washington, D.C., to commemorate National Police Week, a time of year when we reflect upon the men and women in law enforcement who lost their lives in the line of duty the year before.

Last year, 136 police officers died or were killed in the line of duty nationwide. Of those, 47 were killed by gunfire, which was the leading cause of death for all on-duty fatalities. The loss of two officers last year hits particularly close to home.

Two of Iowa’s finest, Officer Kevin Cram of the Algona Police Department and Officer Phoukham Tran of the Des Moines Police Department, are among those whose legacies were honored as their names are etched into the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Read the full op-ed in The Gazette here.