By Jennifer Sullivan
Times Snohomish County bureau
LYNNWOOD - As David Harris drove his daughter to school on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, he heard the news about the terrorist attacks on New York City and outside Washington, D.C. Like millions of others that day, the Lynnwood police sergeant felt helpless. Only he decided to do something about it.
Harris sent out a teletype message to police agencies throughout Western Washington, asking for them to donate badges and shoulder patches so they could be hung in a glass case and sent to New York City as a gift. The intent was to provide a tribute that would show authorities there that "we'll never forget what you've done - you're our family," Lynnwood Officer Doug St. Denis said.
St. Denis volunteered to help Harris by building a shadow box for the display.
"These guys, without even thinking, gave their lives," St. Denis said of the police and firefighters who died in the collapse of the World Trade Center.
St. Denis, 36 completed the box Oct. 15, but it has been sitting in the training room of the Lynnwood Police Department because he and Harris had wanted to wait until the second anniversary of the attacks before presenting it.
"I think it (the shadow box) speaks volumes about the true bond and brotherhood we share throughout the country," Lynnwood police Cmdr. Paul Watkins said. "These two officers should be proud of what they did on their personal time to remember the fallen officers."
St. Denis said they also needed to raise money to pay for shipping: The box is 6 feet wide, 4 feet high and 6 inches deep, and weighs more than 250 pounds.
Over the past 10 months, Lynnwood police have not only learned that FedEx will ship the display for free but that officers have raised money for Harris and St. Denis' trip to New York.
The two officers plan to leave Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on Friday and present the display to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey the next day.
Port Authority Officer Jeff Haner said the shadow box will be presented to department Police Chief Joseph Morris during a ceremony Saturday. The display will eventually be placed in the Port Authority police museum, which is under construction.
St. Denis said he and Harris chose to donate the shadow box to the Port Authority because its department lost 37 officers, more than any other agency that day.
Text republished courtesy of the Seattle Times.
|
