The Town of Bel Air will be patrolled Friday and Saturday by Maryland State Police troopers, filling in for Bel Air police officers as they attend a candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C., in honor of an officer who died in the line of duty 96 years ago.
Maryland State Police troopers from the Bel Air Barrack will patrol the town from 7 a.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday, Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore said in a press release Thursday.
"Law enforcement service to the citizens of Bel Air will be uninterrupted throughout this timeframe," Moore said.
Bel Air Police are set to recognize former Bailiff G. Oliver Noonan at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in downtown Washington, D.C., Moore said.
Noonan, a "bailiff," or officer, at the time, was seriously injured on June 25, 1920, after getting involved in a fight at Office and South Main streets, according to the press release.
"During the altercation[,] confiscated fireworks exploded in Officer Noonan's pockets," Moore wrote in the release, noting the officer died four days later as a result of his injuries.
The line-of-duty death was only recently discovered by Michael Dixon, a historian and local adjunct instructor, Moore said.
At the time, he wrote, "there was little to no recognition of line[-]of[-]duty deaths. In this incident there was only slight mention in newspaper articles and Town documents only noted the vacant officer position. The Town of Bel Air and the Bel Air Police Department are responsible for ensuring that proper memorialization is performed for the ultimate sacrifice made by Officer Noonan."
The commemoration coincides with the National Peace Officer's Memorial Day on Sunday, as well as National Police Week and National Police Memorial Month, Moore said.