'We make a difference': Lebanon officials honor the service of fallen police officers

Matthew Toth, Lebanon Daily News
·3 min read

Residents visiting the Lebanon County Courthouse to vote in the 2023 primary Tuesday morning were greeted with the sound of trumpets and bagpipes.

One person they were playing for was the memory of Lt. William Lebo, who was shot and killed in the line of duty more than a year ago. Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf said the risks police officers take each day are "severe and grave," but they do their job honorably.

"We must remember this week that we have lost lives, and there are people who have lost their children and their husbands because of the sacrifice given to this job," she said to those in attendance Tuesday.

That's why Lebo was among those honored by county, state and local officials and various police officers Tuesday as part of National Police Week. The ceremony highlighted local law enforcement officers who passed away in the line of duty.

On Tuesday, local law enforcement held a memorial on the steps of the Lebanon County Municipal Building in remembrance of officers who died in the line of duty. This included Lt. William Lebo, who was shot and killed on duty more than a year ago.
On Tuesday, local law enforcement held a memorial on the steps of the Lebanon County Municipal Building in remembrance of officers who died in the line of duty. This included Lt. William Lebo, who was shot and killed on duty more than a year ago.

In 2022, Lebo, Officer Derek Underkoffler, Officer Ryan Adams, and Officer Kris McCarrick were responding to a domestic disturbance report. Lebo died in a shootout with a man who had broken into a home on the 1100 block of Forest Street.

Lebo had more than 40 years of service and was 30 days from retirement.

Lebo's remembrance : 'A fantastic officer': Lebanon Police Lt. William Lebo's sacrifice remembered a year later

Lebo's shooting: 'Constant worry': Lebanon officials honor the service of Lt. Lebo, fallen police officers

On Monday, Lebanon Police Chief Bret Fisher was with Lebo's widow, Lora, and her family in Washington, D.C., to add Lebo's name to the wall of fallen officers. Fisher said the trip filled him with mixed emotions.

"Sometimes it's the greatest sorrow to be there, to see all the widows (and) children who been left behind by fallen officers," he said. "At other moments, you're one of the proudest people in the world to be a police officer. It's an honorable career. We make a difference."

Officials also recognized former Lebanon Chief of Police Aaron McCord, former Lebanon Chief of Police Cyrus Schaeffer and South Londonderry Township Sgt. Sheryl Pierce, Reading Police Department Patrolman Michael Harry Wise II, and former state senator and Lebanon District Attorney David Arnold.

Remembering fallen officers: To protect and serve: Lebanon officials honor fallen officers in courthouse ceremony

There have been more than 26,000 line-of-duty deaths in the United States since the country's inception, according to North Lebanon Township Police Chief Tim Knight. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 246 line-of-duty deaths occurred in the United States in 2022, and 42 deaths occurred in 2023 as of Tuesday morning.

"In Pennsylvania, the total officers killed in the line of duty is 1,099 and 22 K-9s," Knight said.

On Tuesday, Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf and North Lebanon Twp. Police Chief Tim Knight spoke at a police memorial service on the steps of the Lebanon County Municipal Building. "We must remember this week that we have lost lives, and there are people who have lost their children and their husbands because of the sacrifice given to this job," Graf said.

The tragedy of losing Lt. Lebo is still felt by Lebanon City Police officers, according to Fisher. Every officer is dealing with the situation in their own way, and they all take something away from his memory and career working as an officer for the city of Lebanon.

"We return to this place that Lt. Lebo came to work for years," he said, standing at the former entrance to the Lebanon City Police Department. "He'll always be remembered here, but he'll always be remembered in every officer's heart that he worked with."

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on Twitter at @DAMattToth.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Lebanon officials honor the service of fallen police officers