In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day.
And the calendar week in which May 15 falls as National Police Week.
Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer would like to invite Law Enforcement Officers and the public to attend the Peace Officer Memorial Day event on Friday May 15, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. At the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office at the south entrance to the courthouse.
We will honor the one WSP Trooper and the Three Klickitat County Deputies killed in the line of duty.
(1) End of Watch: December 23, 1942. WSP Trooper John H. Gulden made a traffic stop on Maryhill Hwy in Klickitat County and was shot and killed by two juveniles who were later arrested for the killing. At that time Trooper Gulden was the first WSP Trooper killed by gun fire,
(2) End of Watch: Friday, November 19, 1976-Klickitat County Deputy Sheriff Danny Kerr Vaughn was with a pilot searching for a small submarine in the Columbia River when the pilot had to make a forced landing in the river. Deputy Vaughn tried to swim to shore and drowned.
(3) End of Watch: Thursday, April 17, 1986. Klickitat County Deputy Sheriff Michael J. McNabb was on patrol on Highway 14, east of Lyle, Washington when a drunk driver hit him head-on. Deputy McNabb was killed in the head-on collision.
(4) End of Watch: Wednesday, July 18, 2007. Klickitat County Deputy Sergeant Peter D. Garland was on duty traveling on Highway 97 at approximately M.P. 42 when a drunk teenage driver passing over a double yellow line hit Sergeant Garland’s vehicle head-on, killing Sergeant Garland.
We will also honor all the Law Enforcement Officers across the United States who have died in the line of duty while protecting their communities’ citizens.
We hope you will also join us in supporting the current law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day protecting our communities.
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