MONTOUR FALLS, N.Y. (WENY) -- On Wednesday, April 17th, the Montour Falls United Church united by prayer to honor and express gratitude towards law enforcement officers, particularly those who have lost their lives or been injured in the line of duty.

Mike Kelly, the Schuyler Co. Sheriff's Chaplain, organized the service to acknowledge the sacrifices made by law enforcement in New York State. "We're having it because of the tragedy. In the past months, we've lost three police officers to line-of-duty deaths," said Chaplain Mike Kelly.
 
The service focused on three officers: Chemung County Sheriff's Investigator Michael Theetge, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Rochester, and two fallen officers from Syracuse, Lieutenant Michael Hoosock and Officer Michael Jensen.
 

 

Kelly, who is also a former law enforcement officer, shared his personal connection to the cause, "I've seen and had friends who have been lost. So it hits hard to understand what it does to the family, what it does to the family of colleagues, and the effect that it has. It's really hard, it's a tough thing, it just really tugs at the heart. It hurts everybody," he said.

The service included prayer, music, and community bonding. Kelly expressed his hope for the attending law enforcement officers, "I hope the law enforcement officers that come should feel a sense of well-being, of caring, of love from supporters, and that we're in it together to share this loss."
 

Similar to the event on April 17th, all officers will be honored for their service on Wednesday, May 15th, for Law Enforcement Memorial Day.