Dallas Police Install Memorial Street Toppers Honoring Fallen Officers
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Dallas Police Department installing memorial street toppers citywide honoring fallen officers with names, ranks, and end-of-watch dates at locations of their deaths.
- Over 160 firefighters and police officers have died in the line of duty since 1892; program begins with earliest cases including Officer William Riddell from 1892.
- Families express gratitude for permanent public recognition, with widow Jo-Ann Jackson emphasizing importance of remembering fallen heroes through visible community memorials.
Honoring Sacrifice Through Street Toppers
The Dallas Police Department has launched an ongoing effort to honor fallen officers with ceremonial street toppers, installing memorial signs at locations throughout the city where officers made the ultimate sacrifice. Recent installations have honored Senior Corporal Bill "Doughboy" Daugherty, who died on Aug. 10, 1992 while on duty, and Officer Henry A. Brown with a ceremonial street topper at I-20 Westbound Service Rd.
The toppers will feature the first responder's name, rank and "End of Watch" date and be placed at intersections close to each death's location. Daugherty, a member of the Traffic Unit, was working radar near the 9800 block of LBJ Freeway while riding his motorcycle when he initiated a routine traffic stop of a speeding vehicle, and was thrown from his motorcycle as he merged onto the freeway from the shoulder due to an uneven surface between the shoulder and the freeway from previous construction work.
Officer Brown was assisting a stranded motorist changing a tire on April 25, 1997, when another motorist lost control of their car and hit the back of Brown's squad car, pushing it forward into the motorist's car and pinning Brown between the two vehicles. Brown served the Dallas Police Department for seven years and won many awards and accolades during his tenure, including 35 accommodations and two life-saving awards.
A City-Wide Memorial Program
The Dallas City Council unanimously approved a program to honor fallen police officers, firefighters and paramedics who died in the line of duty with ceremonial street toppers bearing their names. Dallas Fire and police have identified over 160 firefighters and officers who have died in the line of duty since 1892.
Dallas installed the first two signs on Thursday, honoring the very first police officer and the first firefighter killed in the line of duty in the city, including Officer William Riddell who was killed in the line of duty on June 17, 1892 when he and his partner were trying to serve a warrant, leaving behind a wife and seven children. The Dallas Police Department managed to find one of his descendants – Officer Kyle Koiner, as Riddell was his great, great, great, great grandfather.
Most ceremonial markers will appear on top of street signs near where the first responder spent their final moments. The street toppers commemorating the oldest line of duty deaths will be placed in the beginning phases of this project.
Personal Impact on Families
Jo-Ann Jackson, whose husband, DPD Officer Brian Jackson, was killed in the line of duty in 2005, expressed her joy about the program, saying "People are going to see it and they're going to read it, and it's going to mark that day in history." Her husband, Brian, was fatally shot in November 2005 near the 2400 block of North Henderson Avenue in Old East Dallas while responding to a call about a man threatening his ex-girlfriend, just two months after their wedding.
"A name spoken is a person remembered, you know?" Jackson said. "I'm glad that they made the right decision to honor our fallen police and fire." She hopes officials give ample notification to family members of the fallen so they can be there during the installations.
Legacy and Community Impact
Dallas City Council Member and Public Safety Committee Chair Cara Mendelsohn called it "a dignified and meaningful remembrance of first responders who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to Dallas residents" that will "add to our Dallas history and respect of public safety professionals." Dallas is following the lead of other cities that have honored fallen first responders with street toppers.
"These toppers serve as a permanent reminder that our fallen brothers and sisters will never be forgotten," said Interim Fire Chief Justin Ball, while Interim Police Chief Michael Igo added that "These officers were willing to stand at that line that separated good from evil." The memorial program ensures that these heroes' sacrifices will be visible to the community they served, creating lasting tributes that educate residents about the ultimate price some officers have paid to protect their city.