Council honors law enforcement officers for inaugural 'Navajo Nation Police Officers Day' May 18

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation Council honors and thanks all men and women law enforcement officers, including those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, as the Navajo Nation recognizes the inaugural “Navajo Nation Police Officer Day” May 18.

The second Friday of May was declared to be “Navajo Nation Police Officer Day” in October 2017, when the Council unanimously passed legislation sponsored Council Delegate Edmund Yazzie (Churchrock, Iyanbito, Mariano Lake, Pinedale, Smith Lake, Thoreau).

Delegate Yazzie, who is a former law enforcement officer and current chair of the Law and Order Committee which oversees public safety on the Navajo Nation, extended his appreciation to all law enforcement officers and personnel throughout the Nation.

“The Nation’s police officers deserve great recognition and appreciation for everything they do for us and our communities each and everyday. With the limited number of police officers on the Navajo Nation and their extensive workload, they are still able to overcome those challenges to protect our people, families, and communities. I encourage everyone to shake a police officer’s hand and express your appreciation not only today, but everyday,” Yazzie said.

Speaker LoRenzo Bates (Nenahnezad, Newcomb, San Juan, Tiis Tsoh Sikaad, Tse’Daa’Kaan, Upper Fruitland) also offered his appreciation on behalf of the Council, particularly to the families of fallen officers who continue to mourn the loss of their loved ones.

“I join my colleagues in asking the Navajo people to keep our fallen officers and their families in our thoughts and prayers on this special day,” Bates said. “We want their families to know that they are remembered and that we continue to support them.”

According to the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, there are currently approximately 185 Navajo Nation police officers covering the 27,000 square-miles of the Navajo Nation. The Officer Down Memorial Page lists 13 fallen Navajo officers, which include the following:

• Houston James Largo

• LeAnder Frank

• Alex K. Yazzie

• Ernest Jesus Montoya, Sr.

• Darrell Cervandez Curley

• Winsonfred A. Filfred

• Esther Todecheene

• Samuel Anthony Redhouse

• Hoskie Allen Gene

• Andy Begay

• Roy Lee Stanley

• Loren Whitehat

• Burton Begay

“My colleagues and I on the Law and Order Committee pay tribute to these individuals and we thank them for giving their lives for all of us,” Yazzie said.

Information provided by the Navajo Nation Office of the Speaker