LAFAYETTE PARISH — Law enforcement agencies and community members will gather Thursday evening in Lafayette for the annual Police Memorial Service, honoring officers who have died in the line of duty.
“It’s to honor the fallen officers in the Acadiana and the surrounding areas who have given their lives in service of our community,” said Senior Cpl. Ashley Wood, Assistant Public Information Officer for the Lafayette Police Department.
The memorial has been held annually for about 20 years, and this year’s event comes just days after the death of Lt. Allen “Noochie” Credeur, a Rayne police officer killed by friendly fire on Monday.
“It hits a little close to home—since we lost Officer Jolivette last year, and now 'Noochie,'” Wood said. “We are a family, and there’s a lot of people who grew up with him, who work here.”
The public is encouraged to attend the ceremony, which will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, located at 400 Camellia Blvd. The service is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
A motorcade honoring the fallen will leave the Lafayette Police Department at 5:30 p.m. and follow a procession down University Avenue to Johnston Street, then onto Camellia Boulevard towards the church.
Drivers should expect traffic delays from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
“There will be traffic officers that will stop traffic, just like for a funeral procession,” Wood said.
Wood emphasized that the memorial serves as a reminder that the sacrifices of fallen officers will not be forgotten.
“We all feel the loss whenever we lose an officer,” she said. “This is something we do annually to keep them in our hearts and in our minds, so their families know they’re not forgotten.”
