GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla -- They are the heroes who died protecting us.
And now in Clay County, officers who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty will be memorialized.
The Sheriff's Office is building a memorial wall. It's a project inspired by the death of Detective David White.
Detective White was a member of the Clay County Sheriff's Office for nine years. In February, his life was taken during a raid at a meth house in Middleburg. He was only 35.
"A very passionate, humble man," said Captain Ronnie Gann. "It was just a tragic loss."
The Sheriff's Office is now working to make sure the name of this hero is never forgotten. Right outside the front door, they're building a memorial wall, a permanent memory of men who have given so much.
"We have eight names that are going to be engraved," said Sheriff Rick Beseler. "We hope we never have to add another one. But unfortunately in this line of work we know that that probably won't be the case."
Drug seizure money is paying for the memorial.
"It's sort of poetic justice that Detective White and many of our others whose names are on this wall died fighting those types of crimes," said Sheriff Beseler.
The sheriff hopes Detective White's family will smile, in knowing that a loving father's memory can live on here.
"It's just important for them to know the community doesn't forget the sacrifices that were made by these names that are on that wall."
The Clay County Sheriff's Office will break ground on the project at the start of the new year. They expect it to take about three weeks to complete.
They're asking for community support in this project from anyone who can donate time or resources to build it.
They're also selling engraved pavers to line the site. The pavers are $20 a piece. You can purchase them by visiting the Clay County FOP website. You can also search for the Clay County FOP Lodge 104 Memorial Fundraiser page on facebook.
