{"id":314373,"date":"2026-05-13T22:38:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T22:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/314373\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T22:38:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T22:38:31","slug":"long-beach-honored-fallen-police-firefighters-during-its-annual-memorial-ceremony-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/314373\/","title":{"rendered":"Long Beach honored fallen police, firefighters during its annual memorial ceremony \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"

A large American flag flew above Long Beach\u2019s Civic Center Plaza as city leaders, staff and community members gathered to honor first responders who died in the line of duty during the annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony.<\/p>\n

The Tuesday morning, May 12, event is a longstanding tradition for the Long Beach Police and Fire departments. People gathered at the Police and Fire Memorial monument for the annual tribute to the 29 police employees and 14 firefighters who died in service to the Long Beach community. Their names are engraved on the city\u2019s Civic Center monument.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach year, we gather here for a solemn and sacred purpose to honor the Long Beach firefighters and police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty and show our respect as a grateful city,\u201d Mayor Rex Richardson said during the ceremony. \u201cToday, we honor their names, their service, and their legacy. May we never forget their sacrifice, may we always support the families who they left behind, and may we continue to live in a way that honors the courage, duty and love of community that define their service.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony included remarks by the mayor, police Chief Wally Hebeish and fire Chief Dennis Buchanan. Police Deputy Chief Ryan LeBaron and LBFD Assistant Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau Jake Heflin were the masters of ceremonies.<\/p>\n

Family and loved ones of the fallen attended the event, as well as city staff and community members. The annual memorial ceremony began with the posting of the colors and an invocation.<\/p>\n

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Long Beach Police Department Chief Wally Hebeish delivered remarks during the annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach\u2019s annual Police and Fire Memorial ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, included a flag presentation. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach honored fallen police employees and firefighters during its annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach\u2019s annual Police and Fire Memorial ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, included two time-honored traditions of the police and fire departments \u2013 a 21-gun salute and \u201clast alarm\u201d tribute. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach honored fallen police employees and firefighters during its annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach\u2019s annual Police and Fire Memorial ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, included two time-honored traditions of the police and fire departments \u2013 a 21-gun salute and \u201clast alarm\u201d tribute. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach honored fallen police employees and firefighters during its annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Posting of the colors during the annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Mayor Rex Richardson delivered remarks during the annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach honored fallen police employees and firefighters during its annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach honored fallen police employees and firefighters during its annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach\u2019s annual Police and Fire Memorial ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, included two time-honored traditions of the police and fire departments \u2013 a 21-gun salute and \u201clast alarm\u201d tribute. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach honored fallen police employees and firefighters during its annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach Fire Department Chief Dennis Buchanan delivered remarks during the annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach\u2019s annual Police and Fire Memorial ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, included a flag presentation. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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Long Beach Police Department Chief Wally Hebeish delivered remarks during the annual Police and Fire Memorial Ceremony on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

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\u201cEach year, we gather for this ceremony with heavy hearts but also with deep gratitude,\u201d Buchanan said. \u201cWe come together not only to remember names etched in the metal plates behind me, but to honor lives defined by courage, sacrifice and service to others.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we pause as one community to remember the firefighters and police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty protecting the people of Long Beach,\u201d the fire chief added. \u201cFor the Long Beach Fire Department, we honor the firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their commitment to the city did not end with their final call. Their legacy continues in every fire station, every apparatus, every recruit class and every act of service carried out by those who follow in their footsteps.\u201d<\/p>\n

The firefighters received a \u201clast alarm\u201d tribute. In the past, the \u201clast alarm\u201d signified the beginning and end to a firefighter\u2019s day of service, their summoning to the call of duty and the solemn announcement of a firefighter\u2019s death line of duty, the city said.<\/p>\n

Today, the tribute includes the ringing of a bell \u2013 three rings, three times each \u2013 and serves as a moment of reflection, honor and respect to those who have given it all in service to their community. Following the \u201clast alarm,\u201d Heflin read the names of the 19 fallen firefighters.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday in our city and throughout the week in Washington, D.C., we honor the service and sacrifice of U.S. law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty,\u201d Hebeish said, \u201cand regrettably, we have to add more names to our nation\u2019s law enforcement memorial each year. Names of officers who were killed doing their jobs.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust last year here in California, 12 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, half of them from agencies in Los Angeles County,\u201d the police chief added, \u201cfellow police officers and deputy sheriffs serving their communities right next door.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hebeish also took a moment to remind the Long Beach community that police officers also have families, friends and other responsibilities outside of their chosen profession.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs people who willingly risk their lives for this law enforcement calling, they never know if and when their futures might be taken from them, but they accept this risk so that all of our futures won\u2019t be taken,\u201d he said. \u201cFor this and so much more, they deserve our admiration, gratitude and support.\u201d<\/p>\n

LeBaron read the names of the 29 fallen police officers, which was followed by a 21-gun salute consisting of three ceremonial shotgun volleys by the Long Beach Police and Fire Honor Guards.<\/p>\n

The 21-gun salute is a tradition historically used by law enforcement, along with the playing of taps to honor, pay respect and bid farewell to fallen officers, according to the city. There was also a flag presentation to conclude the event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A large American flag flew above Long Beach\u2019s Civic Center Plaza as city leaders, staff and community members…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314374,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7,584,23,131,133,132,137],"class_list":["post-314373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-california","tag-events","tag-local-news","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles-county"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314373"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314373\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}