NORWALK, Conn. -- The Norwalk Police Department will pay tribute to officers who have given their lives in the line of duty with a ceremony on Wednesday at police headquarters.
The ceremony, which begins at 11 a.m., will impact some traffic around the headquarters at 1 Monroe St.
The memorial service is part of National Police Week, which is held each year during the week of May 15. Norwalk Police will honor its own members who have made the ultimate sacrifice:
- Sgt. Frank Stratton, who was killed on Oct. 14, 1930 at the age of 64. Stratton had pulled over a suspicious car and discovered that the two men inside were both U.S. Marines who had gone AWOL and stolen the car. He was hit by a speeding motorist while taking the two men under arrest.
- Officer Sherrald Gorton, who was killed on June 20, 1962 at the age of 37. Gorton was working traffic duty at a construction site when he was hit and killed by an 18-ton dump truck that was backing up.
- Sgt. Nicholas W. Fera, who was killed on July 9, 1971 at the age of 45. Fera was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two armed robbery suspects. The suspects had robbed a west Norwalk bank before Fera saw them on Connecticut Avenue and attempted to take them into custody. Gunfire erupted, during which Fera and one of the suspects was fatally wounded.
- Officer Mario Carias, who was killed on March 20, 1982 at the age of 26. Carias had completed an undercover investigation with the Statewide Narcotics Task Force and was returning an undercover vehicle to the state police garage when he was involved in a car accident in Danbury. His vehicle hit a utility pole, which resulted in multiple injuries to which he would later succumb.
The ceremony will include a flag raising by the Norwalk Police Honor Guard at 11 a.m., as well as a flyover from Eagle 1, a police motorcycle procession, a candle lighting for the four Norwalk officers that gave the ultimate sacrifice, singing, and remarks by Chief Thomas Kulhawik, Mayor Harry Rilling and State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo.
From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., the following streets will be closed due to the ceremony:
- South Main Street (southbound traffic) at Washington Street
- South Main Street at Haviland Street (northbound traffic only exiting Haviland Street)
- South Main Street at Raymond Street
- Hanford Place at Day Street
- Monroe Street at Chestnut Street
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