Greater love hath no man

Students with the Ocala Christian Academy choir walk past memorial markers for Deputy Brian Litz, who was killed in the line of duty on February 7, 2004 and Jared Forsyth, who was killed in a tragic accident during a routine firearms training session at the Lowell Correctional Institution gun range on April 6, 2015, during the Fallen Officer Memorial ceremony at the Fallen Officer Memorial at the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, May 14, 2026. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2026.

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Posted May 14, 2026 | By Jennifer Hunt / Photos by Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette

Standing before grieving families and rows of uniformed officers Thursday morning, a chaplain framed Marion County’s annual Fallen Officer Memorial with a line of scripture that captured the cost of service.

“Father, I’m reminded most of all, Lord, that in your word, it says in John 15:13, greater love hath no man in this that a man would lay his life down for his friends,” Chaplain Dean Oliver of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office prayed.

The May 14 ceremony at the McPherson Center honored law enforcement officers from Marion County who died in the line of duty, drawing local leaders, officers, families of the fallen and community members. Three Marion County Sheriff’s Office helicopters flew over the crowd and the Ocala Christian Academy choir led the gathering in “Amazing Grace.”

Lt. Paul Bloom opened the memorial by noting the presence of relatives of fallen officers seated nearby and emphasized that the event was centered on them.

“Today, we are gathered to remember and pay tribute to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty each year during National Police Week, communities across our nation pause to reflect on the courage, commitment and selflessness of our law enforcement officers,” Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano said.

He traced the observance back more than 60 years.

“This national observance was established in 1962, when John F Kennedy signed a proclamation that designated May 15 as Peace Officer Memorial Day, and the calendar week in which it falls is National Police Youth for more than six decades. This tradition has united Americans in honoring those who gave their life in service to others,” he said.

Here, Marciano noted, the names read are more than inscriptions.

“Here in Ocala and Marion County, this moment is deeply personal. These are not just names etched in stone. They are neighbors, our friends and members of our family,” he said. “Today, we remember officers who answered the call without hesitation, who ran danger so others could find safety and who upheld their oath with unwavering dedication. Their service represents the very best of what it means to protect and serve.”

He also thanked officers currently serving.

The heart of the ceremony came with the roll call of the fallen.

Belleview Police Department Lt. Mike Miley read the names and years of Marion County officers who died in the line of duty:

– Burrel Dawkins, 1881

– Jacob Gramling, 1884 

– James George Binnicker, 1893 

– Bill Hudson, 1908 

– Bill Hutson, 1910 

– Perry Bostic, 1924 

– Henry Gordon, 1924 

– A.O. Warren, 1926 

– Nathan Hattaway, 1930

– Edward Porter Jr., 1951 

– M.O. Tuck, 1955 

– R.L. Wooten, 1955 

– Curtis Youngblood, 1955 

– Roscoe H. Hargett, 1955 

– C.M. Starry, 1958 

– Bill Rutherford, 1990 

– Brian R. Litz, 2004

– Chelsea Richard, 2014 

– Jared Forsyth, 2015  

“This morning we pause to remember and honor the law enforcement officers from Marion County sacrifice as each name is read. May we reflect on their service, courage and dedication to our community,” Miley said. After the list, he concluded, “though their watches ended, their sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

At Bloom’s invitation, the Ocala Christian Academy choir then sang “Amazing Grace,” a hymn long associated with law enforcement memorials.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Ocala Police Chief Michael Balken said the annual observance is more than a date on the department calendar.

He called the memorial “one of the most important traditions that we observe.”

Balken emphasized that each name represents a full life.

“Every name spoken here today carries with it a story of courage and service. Behind each name was a life that was dedicated to something greater than personal comfort and safety,” he said. “They were sons and daughters who were loved by their parents. They were husbands and wives who shared dreams and built lives with those that they cherished. They were mothers and fathers whose greatest pride was often not the badge that they wore but the families that they love. They were friends, mentors. They were our friends. They were mentors, neighbors and trusted partners.”

Balken also reminded officers of the responsibilities they shoulder.

“For the law enforcement officers gathered here today, this memorial carries another meaning. It’s a reminder of the responsibility that we carry each time we put on the uniform or pin on the back,” he said. “We know the risks of this profession. We understand that every shift carries with it uncertainty, and yet, just as we honor those we honor today, we continue to answer the call.”

At the end of his prepared remarks, Balken departed from his script to criticize the size of the crowd.

“That’s my prepared speech. I do want to say one last thing that I’m probably going to regret. I’ve been wanting to say this for the last five years as chief, we have got to do better as leaders,” he said. “Mayor, myself as chief, Ryan Chamberlain – we have 71,000 people in the city of Ocala alone, this field back here should be full. This is an embarrassing turnout.”