GORDON, Neb. - In 2023 alone, 60 law enforcement officers in the U.S. were killed on the job, according to a report released this month by the FBI.

The report also reveals that from 2021 to 2023, more officers were killed than in any other consecutive three-year period in the past 20 years. A memorial in Gordon honored area law enforcement who gave their lives while on duty

When Gordon Police Chief Clay Heath read the names of law enforcement who have passed away, memories flooded his mind.

“Since we started out with Greg’s, it jumped back to that night,” Heath said.

The Fallen Law Enforcement Memorial in Gordon has been held every year since Gordon Police Officer Greg Holloway died in a car crash in 1999.

“He was going to a call, and someone crossed over the line and hit him head-on,” Sheridan County Sheriff Jeff Brewer said.

“It’s like losing a family member. It literally is,” Heath said.

“Until we lost Officer Holloway, we didn’t realize the impact on our departments,” Brewer said. "Both Clay and I were working with Gordon P.D. at that time. It was horribly devastating for us."

Brewer said that the camaraderie among law enforcement is hard to describe.

“It’s a unique group, and some of the hardships make it a tighter-knit group,” Brewer said.

While the event honored those who have passed away, it was also a chance to remember the daily sacrifices by law enforcement.

“It’s my life, but there are a lot of downsides," Brewer said. "You’re away from your family. You’re gone at night."

A routine sacrifice that deserves to be remembered.