COLUMBUS (WCMH) — “Those who wear the badge have to place the welfare and security of others before their own.”
Those were the words Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Podolski, just more than a year after losing his friend and fellow officer Steven Smith in the line of duty.
“It just ripped our hearts out,” Podolski recalls of the tragedy.
Thursday was a night to remember all who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty of the CPD.
“It’s important than we live our lives in memory of them,” says Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs.
Although the annual event was held for CPD officers, Kirkersville Police Chief Eric DeSario, who was murdered along with two others last week, was remembered by his Columbus colleagues.
“Senseless,” Chief Jacobs calls the tragedy. “That family of young children is never going to have their dad around to see them grow up and it’s very unfortunate.”