The Santa Maria Police Department hosted a memorial service Wednesday to honor the lives of law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty.
The Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony and Luncheon was held at the SMPD headquarters on W. Betteravia Rd.
The annual event was held in partnership with the Santa Maria Police Officers Association and the Santa Maria Police Association of Middle Management.
The pandemic stopped this event from happening for the past few years.
The ceremony included a memorial service involving Northern and Southern Santa Barbara County law enforcement agencies.
“Officers go out and put their lives on the line, so for us to get together as a community and pay our respects is, I mean, there's really nothing greater that we can do. We're just so appreciative of the community, the support, in addition to our law enforcement, police and fire partners that contribute to today's ceremony,” said Santa Maria Police Chief Marc Schneider.
Dozens of people attended the memorial as it was open to other local agencies and the general public.
The ceremony was followed by a Santa Maria-style barbeque.
