PITTSBURGH — Fallen officers from around the Pittsburgh area were honored in the North Shore.
The Fraternal Order of Police Pennsylvania State Lodge joined the Fort Pitt FOP Lodge No. 1 and County of Allegheny FOP Lodge No. 91 for the special memorial. The officers and some of their family members gathered at the Pittsburgh Law Enforcement Officer Memorial on North Shore Drive behind Acrisure Stadium.
This was the first time the memorial was able to be held in three years. It was delayed two years in a row due to safety concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic and was canceled last year due to bad weather.
Any officer who died in the line of duty was recognized in a roll call. This year, the order recognized 11 officers who died from COVID-19 since their last meeting.
Charles G. Stipetich who was shot, a 23-year-old Oakdale police officer who was shot and killed in Blawnox while he was off-duty in July 2022 was recognized.
Chief Justin McIntire and McKeesport officer Sean Sluganski were also both recognized. Both men were shot and killed in 2023. The officers said their names will be added to the wall next year.
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There are currently 103 names on the memorial wall.
“None of those men on the wall on women on the wall thought for one second. They wouldn’t be home. They never came home,” said Chief Jim Lauria with Oakdale Police.
A similar memorial will be held in Washington D.C. next week.
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