Memorial service honors fallen officers Thelonius Dukes and Nicola Cotton
ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
In an annual ritual of grief and pride, the NOPD pays tribute to its officers’ acts of selfless service
Friday, May 09, 2008
By Brendan McCarthy
Staff writer
The 21-gun salute sent shudders through Lynette Dukes and brought tears to her eyes.
Upon seeing his mother’s eyes well, 7-year-old Jalil Dukes started crying, too. Both clutched tissues, thinking of their lost family member, New Orleans Police Sgt. Thelonious Dukes.
Sitting front and center, the Dukes family took part Thursday in the NOPD’s annual police memorial, a solemn event that underscores the sacrifices made daily by its officers. “On this day, we, as a family, salute their families,” Deputy Chief Anthony Canatella said in his opening remarks.
The ceremony, one of many events held nationally to commemorate officers killed in the line of duty, coincides with Police Memorial Week.
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