With the stroke of a pen, it was official.

Troy Mayor Jason A. Reeves signed a proclamation Friday declaring next week Police Memorial Week in Troy with May 15 being Police Memorial Day.

“Everything that we are able to do as a community, really as a civilized society, is based on the rule of law and law enforcement,” Reeves said. “We appreciate the fact that our police officers get up every day and put their lives on the line for everyone who lives and travels and works in this city.”

Every year, Police Memorial Week is set aside to remember officers who have been killed in the line of duty. In Troy, those officers are Will Jackson, 1905; Hayden Youngblood, 1962; Cecil Sullivan, 1967; Billy Dease, 1968; and Steve Watkins, 1981.

There are also other law enforcement officers with ties to Troy and Pike County who have been killed in action. Those are Alabama Conservation Officer Grady Jackson, 1984; Troy Police Sgt. Sam “Bo” Botts, III, 1985; Alabama State Trooper R.W. “Bob” Jones, 1991; Greenville Police Officer Gary Heath, 1994; Montgomery Police Officer Willie Pryor, 1995; former Troy University Police officer and Covington County Deputy Michael Lassiter, 2004; former Troy University and Troy Police Department Chief of Police John Lee, 2008; and Troy University Police Officer Steve Rodgers, 2009.

“We as a police department always want to remember this week, a week when we can honor men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for citizens, not only in Troy, but all over the United States,” said Troy Police Chief Jimmy Ennis.

The annual Police Memorial Day ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Troy Police Department on Elm Street with another service to follow at Bicentennial Park. Ennis said he hopes the community will join the police department to honor fallen officers.

“It’s something that we feel we always need to do, to remember and honor,” Ennis said.