Public Invited to Uniform Day Memorial Ceremony

St. Louis' 35th Annual Uniform Day Memorial Ceremony will be held on Friday in the St. Louis County Government Memorial Park in Clayton. The public, including and residents, is invited to attend the 10 a.m. ceremony sponsored by the St. Louis County Police Department, per a Thursday news release.

Participating in the solemn program will be a police and fire honor guard, a police rifle squad and the St. Louis County Police Pipes and Drums, according to the release. The traditional ceremony will consist of:

• posting of colors,
• roll call of the deceased
• a 16-volley shotgun salute.

The keynote speaker will be Brendan Kelly, state's attorney, St. Clair County, IL. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Louis University School of Law. He established the Violent Crime Unit and the St. Clair County Juvenile Justice Center.

In addition to the recognition of fallen comrades, the wearing of dress uniforms by all commissioned personnel, regardless of assignment, serves as a visual affirmation of the commitment of these public safety providers to their chosen profession. Black bunting will be placed over the main entrance of all precinct stations and at headquarters in Clayton.

Last year, at the 34th Annual Uniform Day Memorial Ceremony at the Memorial Park, two names were added to memorial walls of first responders. Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Joseph George Schuengel, a helicopter pilot killed in an accident during October 2010, was remembered alongside Scherese Bishop, 37, a Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District EMT who died while trying to resuscitate a man in March 2011.