TOWSON, Md. — Baltimore County police honored fallen officers Friday morning with a wreath-laying ceremony in Towson, a tribute that carries added meaning following the death of a detective earlier this year.
Detective Paul Hoke, a 30-year veteran of the Baltimore County Police Department, died in January at the age of 49 after he collapsed while working voluntary overtime on New Year's Eve.
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Honoring fallen officers in Baltimore County
"He was my best friend growing up," Jessica Fiedler, Hoke's sister, told WMAR-2 News. "He taught me everything."
At the ceremony, officers placed wreaths one by one to pay tribute to those lost.
"I know the pain of losing a close family member who was a law enforcement officer and the pain of losing friends as a member of this great agency," said Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough during prepared remarks.
On Saturday at 9 a.m., the tribute will continue with the "Every Hour Every Day" 5K race, which Maj. Paul Borowski started a few years ago to honor the department's 150th anniversary.
"It's kind of a somber moment today, but tomorrow will be a celebration of the lives of the 11 members of the department that we've lost throughout the history of the department," Borowski said.
Hoke himself ran the race, and the event has since taken on greater meaning as a way to honor him and others who have died.
"It's a way to never forget them. We're going to have little memories throughout the race course tomorrow, we'll also have family members of theirs that will get to understand they'll never leave our thoughts and memories," Borowski said.
The race begins at police headquarters on Joppa Road, loops around Towson, and ends back at headquarters. It will benefit the Baltimore County Police Foundation.
"I ran it last year with him," Fiedler added, "and I swore we were going to do it every year. So this year, it kind of has a whole different meaning from what it initially would."
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