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Downtown was not a good place for criminals Friday night as about 500 police officers from all over the country made their way to Stamford for the Fifth Annual Stamford National Police Week Parade. The police parade to honor their fallen brethren.
This is a great opportunity for the public to see what police are all about, Sgt. Joseph Kennedy of the Stamford Police said of cops willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice.
There were over 30 police departments represented, some from as far away as Virginia and Ohio. National Police Week ran from May 2 through Friday, May 6. Stamfords parade is considered the second largest in the country, Kennedy said. The only one larger is in Washington, D.C., next week.
Police started marching from Veterans Park on Atlantic Street and ended at Stamford Police Headquarters on Bedford Street. Many different units and gear were displayed during the march, including K-9 units, motorcycles and an armored police personnel carrier. Police pipe and drum bands also performed.
Once at police headquarters, officers read the names of comrades killed in the line of duty, and several dignitaries spoke, including Police Chief Robert Nivakoff and Mayor Michael Pavia. The ceremony also included a 21 gun salute and flyover by the Connecticut National Guard.
The parade ended with an after-party at which six Bedford Street bars held fundraisers for the Stamford Police Killed in the Line of Duty Endowment Fund. While the after-party is a great way to raise money, Kennedy says it is also a chance for officers to mingle with members of the public. Participating establishments were: Brickhouse, Tigin, Lolas, Telluride, Bradfords and Butterfield 8.
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