Police, joined by other first responders, took a somber journey through the roads of St. Thomas to honor the fallen. This Wednesday, May 15 was observed as Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Day across the U.S.
A motorcade from Eastern Cemetery to Western Cemetery to the Alexander Farrelly Justice Complex was held as part of the 2024 Police Week events on St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Six officers from St. Croix and nine from the St. Thomas-St. John district were remembered with flowers, prayers and a wreath cast on the waters of the Charlotte Amalie Harbor.
At the justice complex, Police Lt. Deborah Hodge thanked the officer from St. Croix who created commemorative tiles for each of the day’s honorees. The most recent one was St. Thomas-St. John Detective Delberth Phipps Jr. who died in an armed confrontation on July 4, 2023.
Deputy Police Chief Clayton Brown said Phipps’ family was in Washington, D.C. at a national ceremony honoring officers from across the United States. “This year there will be 284 new names added to the memorial. Sadly, one of the names will be one of our own,” Brown said.
But the family of Officer Colvin Geroges — who died in 2012 — was among those gathered on Wednesday. His mother accepted a bouquet of flowers in her son’s honor. Also accepting flowers was Gail Callwood, cousin of Richard Callwood for whom the police command at Farrelly complex is named.
She pointed to his picture. “Did you ever see a big teddy bear? He was the sweetest, gentlest person you ever met,” she said.
The names of those honored on Wednesday included:
Police Detective Delberth Phipps Jr.
Police Officer Colvin Terrance Geroges Sr.
Police Officer Ariel Frett
Deputy Marshall Randy Arnaldo Stephens
Police Officer Steven Hodge
Police Officer Richard N. Callwood
Patrolman Alan Williams
Patrolman Rudel Albert Parrott
Patrolman Leroy Alvaro Swan
Lionel Emanuel Issac
Police Officer Akeem Basil “Teddy” Newton
Police Officer Cuthbert Ezekiel Chapman
Police Officer Dexter L. Mardenborough
Patrolman Wilbur Horatio Francis
Patrolman Patrick Emmanuel Sweeney
Patrolman Leopald Emanuel Fredericks, Jr.
Sen. Dwayne DeGraff recalled his 26 years serving with the VIPD. He said he knew a few of the names on the list as people he worked with side by side, and that Phipps’ father and Geroge’s aunt were his classmates at Charlotte Amalie High School. “When we look at it, the community is so small we are all connected to one another,” DeGraff said.
The ceremony ended with lit candles and a moment of silence.
