Four new names are on the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial Wall of Honor in Jefferson City.
Forty-two-year-old officer, James Muhlbauer, and K-9 Champ died in a car accident on February 15, 2023. Mason Griffith, who was 34, died in a shooting on March 6, 2023. Thirty-four-year-old Kelly Rolando, with the Missouri Department of Corrections, died in a motor vehicle crash on October 22, 2023; and Jason Pullium, also with the Department of Corrections and who was 49, died on October 15, 2021 after contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty. They were honored at a ceremony in the capitol rotunda on Saturday.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey spoke at the event.
“Certainly words cannot appropriately articulate our gratitude as the State of Missouri for those who are willing to serve in this capacity and lay down their lives for the rest of us,” he said.
Bailey told the crowd the way to best thank those who have died is to carry on their work, “to rededicate ourselves to the rule of law, to public safety and to finding justice for victims in the State of Missouri.”
Several law enforcement agencies from across the state took part in the laying of the wreaths. Family members then took turns adding white carnations to a wreath in front of the stage as names of fallen officers were read.
There are 746 names on the Wall of Honor, located on the north side of the state capitol grounds.
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