Metropolitan King County Council members have given unanimous support to a study that will look at creating a memorial to recognize fallen deputies within the King County Courthouse.

Fifteen members of the King County Sheriff’s Office have been killed in the line of duty since the department was established with the creation of the County in 1852. There is no memorial within the County honoring all the men who died protecting their fellow citizens.

“Memorializing the members of the King County Sheriff’s Office that have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect their communities is long overdue,” said Councilman Reagan Dunn, the prime sponsor of the ordinance.  “I look forward to working with Sheriff Urquhart and the King County Police Officers Guild to ensure that these 15 heroes are never forgotten and that this memorial becomes a reality.”

The measure has received strong support from the city of Covington, which sent a letter signed by the mayor with the backing of the City Council urging full County Council support.

“The Covington City Council offers its unanimous support for your Proposed Ordinance 2013-0132,” said Margaret Harto, mayor of Covington. “As a city that contracts with King County for police services, we believe it is important to honor our fallen deputies here in King County.”

The first sheriff deputy killed in the line of duty was in 1853, the most recent was in 2006. All fifteen deputies are recognized both in Washington, D.C. as part of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and in Olympia, where they are listed on the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial. There is no memorial in the county where the deputies lost their lives.

The adopted ordinance calls on the executive and the King County Sheriff to develop a proposal for the creation of a memorial at the courthouse to be  submitteed to the County Council by June 1.