UPDATE: MASON, MI - It was a day of remembrance.

"I'm here to honor my husband," said Kathy Cole, widow of fallen officer Sergeant Paul Cole of the Ingham County Sherrif's Department. "He was killed in the line of duty on October 6th of 1996, so I'm here to honor his memory and the service he gave to Ingham County."

Nine officers, both men and women of the Ingham County police forces, who were killed in the line of duty, were honored at the Ingham County Law Enforcement Memorial on May 8th, 2012.

"What I believe this means to the community is we're not going to forget the people who made the ultimate sacrifice," said G. Wriggelsworth, Sheriff of Ingham County. "These are men and women who went to work one day and didn't get to come home, and when they pay the ultimate sacrifice we need to remember them."

According to Cole, the one thing families want is for their loved ones to not be forgotten. "These men and women go out everyday and do a job that no one would do and they put their lives in harms way, said Cole. "Sometimes they don't come home and there are children, loved ones, and parents that are left behind."

The memorial was built in 1996 to help the community recognize the fallen officers. It is also a memorial to recognize the family members who have been affected by this tragedy.


ORIGINAL STORY: MASON, MI - The Ingham Country Law Enforcement Memorial was held on May 8th. Watch HOMTV's Beyond the Badge to hear what family members of fallen officers had to say and why the memorial is so important to the community.