The headlines, videos, Facebook posts, and Tweets mount up:
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- 2 female rookie police officers have been shot and killed in 2 days
- Three police officers have been shot dead across the US in less than a week
- 7 officers shot, 1 killed in South Carolina
- Terre Haute police officer killed in shootout has been identified
Last year 144 police officers from around the country died in the line of duty. In 2017, 129 officers died while working.
Cully Frisard couldn’t let that pass. Last year, the second-generation owner of Frisard’s Trucking in Gramercy, Louisiana, wanted to do something to ensure fallen police officers — men and woman from across the country — were not forgotten. It was an intensely personal mission for him, one with which to atone for things he did and didn’t do when he was younger.
Frisard’s Trucking’s Fallen Heroes tribute truck (Frisard’s Trucking photos)In July, Frisard decided to create a police officer of the week program to honor those who serve communities in and around St. James Parish. By August he began to realize the enormity of his task, and in October made it a monthly recognition.
That also led to Frisard to create a tribute truck, which was rolled out late last month emblazoned with the message “Fallen But Never Forgotten.” The dark blue with white stripes 2019 Freightliner Cascadia bears the names of police officers from around the country who have been killed in the line of duty. It also recognizes two foundations created to aid families of the fallen.
“In my younger days I made some really stupid decisions,” said Frisard when the truck was unveiled. “I had no respect for law enforcement. I had no respect for the officers who put their lives on the line to serve me. I look back at the younger me and I wish I could put my hands on his shoulders and shake him a little bit and tell him, ‘Son, you’re part of the problem.’
“I messed up as a boy. Now I’m a man, and I somehow want to make up for what I have done in my past.”
Frisard, who took over the company from his father who founded the business in 1989, said the goal is to route the truck, which is part of the carrier’s daily driving fleet, to the communities of officers who have died. He said he also meets and shows the truck to the families of those officers.
“We also want to get it to the public and show how many officers are killed in the line of duty,” said Frisard, whose company runs 105 trucks and 240 trailers delivering general commodities. “We want to educate the public and show the families of officers they are not forgotten.”
But, Frisards’ efforts to honor those who place themselves in harm’s way has not stopped with police officers. He said the company has taken delivery of five new Freightliners that will join the fleet once wrapped to honor the branches of the U.S. military.
Frisard Trucking's Fallen Heroes police tribute truck
Names of fallen police officers on Frisard Trucking's tribute truck
Frisard Trucking's Fallen Heroes police tribute truck
Frisard Trucking's Fallen Heroes police tribute truck
Frisard Trucking's Fallen Heroes police tribute truck
Frisard Trucking's Fallen Heroes police tribute truck
Frisard Trucking's Fallen Heroes police tribute truck
