Bay St. Louis Police Department honors fallen officers during annual memorial service

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. (WLOX) - The Bay St. Louis Police Department held an annual memorial service honoring eight fallen Hancock County officers on Wednesday.

This ceremony is held every May to recognize the county’s fallen officers for their service.

Those gathered at the ceremony remembered Officer Branden Estorffe and Sgt. Steven Robin. They were killed in the line of duty on Dec. 14, 2022, while on a call at a Highway 90 motel.

Their friend and colleague Phalba Holmes said the two officers meant a lot to her.

“They were very proactive in their community, and they loved their job,” Holmes said. “Every day is a new day; it’s never routine. You never know what’s going to happen. All you can do is prepare and trust your training to lead you in the right direction.”

Bay St. Louis Police Chief Toby Schwartz said he remembers them for their drive and bravery.

“Sgt. Steven Robin and Officer Branden Estorffe were Bay St. Louis’ finest officers,” Schwartz said. “With this incident, they did make the ultimate sacrifice. We have not forgotten who they are what they meant to us to, to our department, and to our fellow law-enforcement officers in town.”

This ceremony comes a week after Robin and Estorffe were honored during a memorial in Washington D.C.

Chief Schwartz said he wants memorials like this to show the importance of the sacrifices officers make every day.

“It’s a great way to recognize their work of valor and the everyday work they did that often went unnoticed,” he said. “Even after that, we can still recognize them and honor them.”

Holmes said the sacrifices her friends made will push her to face whatever comes her way.

“It gives you a sense of urgency, a sense of the realization of what we do every day,” she said. “It puts it in perspective, but it doesn’t deter us from it.”

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