Giving Due Respect and Honor

As a volunteer pastor for my local police department, I sometimes have the honor of officiating  a brief wreath presentation ceremony on the anniversary of the EOW for officers who gave their life in the line of duty in our city.  I would like to share  with you my brief tribute to Officer Craig Michael Hanking on this 26th anniversary of his End Of Watch. I hope this is also an encouragement for ALL officers that service and sacrifice will always be remembered.
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​REMEMBERING CRAIG
Thank you for being here today. I am Pastor Rob and it is my privilege to be here with you as we remember the life and service of Officer Craig Hanking whose End of Watch was August 3, 1994, 26 years ago today.

I don’t know about you, but these ceremonies are particularly meaningful to me this year in light of the false narrative being promoted about law enforcement right now. It is GOOD and APPROPRIATE that we remember, respect and honor these fallen heroes. 

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul wrote these words:
GIVE to everyone what you OWE them; 
Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, 
and give RESPECT and HONOR to those who are in authority. 
~ Romans 13:7

And this is why we are here today...to give Craig the respect and honor he is owed.

Giving What’s Owed
Craig’s family...every officer’s family...every officer should KNOW that sacrifice will NEVER be forgotten.

As we are here today we remember a tragedy that is not pleasant to recall, but we do it out of respect and honor  as we remember Craig's life and service.

In preparation for today, I was reading the reflections on Craig’s Officer Down Memorial page. I love the way he is remembered by family, high school friends, “you were friends with my dad”, family of other fallen officers. And these that show the impact of Craig's life on a wide cross section of people:

“The Academy staff canceled the remainder of our training at Six Flags. They told us to go home, think about what happened, and decide if we still wanted to put our lives on the line, each and every shift. To your credit, all of us returned, the next night, more focused and purposeful, in our training.”
Former APD/Class 5, dated 2010

“I was a 15 year old driver’s ed student at AHS that summer the first class of the day (and saw the scene). The police car was still there, but we were told Officer Hanking was transported to the hospital, but had passed away. It was such a tragedy. I’m 33 now (in 2012), and have never forgotten. I’ve driven by the site a few times since noticing the memorial—I’m glad it’s there.”
a girl, 2012

“As we learn & prepare to serve this great city, may we always remember the trails you blazed and the sacrifice you made. Thank you, Sir.”
Recruit Class 35 APD, 2007

Respect 
In Craig’s day, we as a society respected the police better. There was respect for and a healthy fear of the uniform. Today, our society talks about a different kind of “fear of the police” that is twisted. The Apostle Paul addressed this, too, when he wrote:

For authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what’s right and they will honor you.
~Romans 13:3

Craig was honoring those who do right in our city as he was headed to that burglary call 26 years ago. Craig, we are here to respect you and the uniform that you wore as you served those who do right in our city.

Honor
Honor is what YOU give Craig because, unlike those of us who don’t wear the uniform, you know the choices he made, what he gave and what his family gave so that Craig could serve.

You honor Craig with your presence here every August 3rd, with the memorial sign there on Cooper St, at Hero’s Park and with an annual memorial service for all fallen officers there as well as with the Fallen Officer’s Challenge. Craig, you are honored here by those who serve after you.

PRESENTATION OF THE WREATH

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for the opportunity to pay Craig what he is owed today: respect as a city and honor as a family. We are thankful for his service to our city and that he was a part of this family. Bring Your peace to his family today, to those who served with him and to those who serve today.

BLESSING
May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you today.