Just off Owl Creek Road in Tamaqua sits a granite memorial plaque with the names of 82 police officers from Carbon and Schuylkill counties who passed on.

Each name holds a story about a person who served their community with honor and dignity during their career as a police officer.On Monday evening, members of the Fraternal Order of Police Schuylkill-Carbon Lodge 13 gathered for their annual memorial service in the grove area of the lodge to honor these brave men and women who have paved the way for the current officers serving the the area.Tamaqua patrolman Michael Hobbs, president of the FOP lodge, welcomed friends and family to the service."Our purpose today is to pay our respects to the memory and honor of our lost brothers," he said. "Their names are inscribed upon this memorial plaque as a reminder ... a memory of those who pioneered our profession. We will continue in their well-trodden path to rid society of those who are harmful to our peaceful way of living."May we endow their strength to carry on their tradition," Hobbs continued.Following the welcome, Summit Hill Police Chief Joseph Fittos Jr., vice president of the lodge, laid a wreath next to the memorial and a moment of silence was observed for those who served their counties and country to make their communities a safer place for all residents.David Everly, financial officer, read the role call of names of the deceased and officers from Summit Hill, Lansford and McAdoo then performed a gun salute.Sgt. Joseph Lawrence of the Lehighton Police Department played Taps and John Kast, chaplain, said the benediction.The service closed with Bernadette Jespersen of the Wyoming Valley Pipe and Drum Band playing "How Great Thou Art" on the bagpipes.