LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It was a moment of great joy and lingering pain as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department honored and remembered officers who lost their lives serving in the line of duty Thursday night.
Sheriff Joe Lombardo said it was a somber occasion that has a lot of meaning for the department and the families of fallen officers.
"I think it's important that we do remember," said Lombardo. "Because these young men made the ultimate sacrifice and it's important for us to provide that solace or that calm for the families and that they didn't do it in vain."
The Southern Nevada Las Enforcement Memorial Foundation held its annual memorial services and then awarded ten $5,000 scholarships to the children of active duty Las Vegas police and corrections officers.
Kirsten Kircher said she plans to use the money to help pay for a degree in criminal justice.
"I just am really excited to go into college with a little bit more scholarship money to further what I want to do and hopefully become a fourth-generation police officer," Kircher said.
The scholarships are named in memory of officers Alyn Beck, and Igor Soldo, who were killed in the line of duty in 2014, and made possible by the generous donation of Ron Coury and don Tamburro.
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Another recipient, Gabriel Pence, has parents who are Las Vegas police officers.
"To be able to honor officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo it's amazing," said Pence. "I will do with this what the founders of the scholarship would want me to. I'm going to use this money to further my education and try and make the world a better place."
