DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / September 6, 2000

LAPLACE – For Brenda Badeaux, visiting the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C., helped to ease the loss of her brother,St. John Sheriff’s deputy Barton Granier.In honor of her brother, who was killed in the line of duty Jan. 27 1996,Badeaux, St. John Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Hoover and members of the Kids forKops organization traveled to the memorial during National Police Week last year.

The memorial bears the names of every officer who has been killed in the line of duty since 1900. For police week the names of the officers killed in thepast year were added and honored for their bravery and service along with the those already engraved into the memorial wall.

To experience the event and see the name of her brother on the wall helped Badeaux continue on after the event that took her brothers life. To seeGranier’s name carved in stone assured her that the memory of his life and what he gave to the people of St. John Parish would continue on long aftershe is gone.

As well as seeing the wall, the seminar for siblings gave her a chance to understand and deal with what she was going through.

“I didn’t want to go to the seminar, but it was unbelievable. You think yourthe only one who experienced this until you hear others talk,” said Badeaux.

After her visit she was ready to come home, knowing her brother’s name would be there forever. She felt some amount of peace, seeing how well theyhonor the fallen officers, her brother included.

Hoover felt much the same way.

“It’s hard to find closure from something like this, but the fact of being (at the memorial) gives you courage to continue,” said Hoover. The wall,decorated with pictures, letters, newspaper articles and police patches, all taped to the rock, brings the police work to realism, he added.

It was important for Hoover to see Granier’s name on the wall, knowing he was doing what he loved to do.

“It is a way to remember with honor and respect those that went before us,” said Hoover.

An important bond enveloped those at the memorial, and both Badeaux and Hoover felt it. One lady walked up to Badeaux and putting her arm around hertold her it would be alright. Her husband had died while serving as an officer.The two continue to stay in touch.

Hoover saw how the bond grew across the city.

“No matter where you were, if you saw an officer in any other uniform, it didn’t matter, they would stop and talk to you like best friends,” said Hoover. The big blue family they talk about does exist with a very solid bond,he added.

That memorial, though small in size unfortunately, continues to grow, as 134 officers who died in 1999 were added to the wall this spring. Though the lossof those fine men are disheartening, it lifts the soul a little to know the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will always remember the fallen officers of the United States, thus bringing a little peace and closure to those who have most deeply felt that loss.

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