SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Members of the Galt Police Department attended a statewide ceremony at the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony held at the state capital to honor officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. 

Hundreds of law enforcement personnel and state and local leaders joined the two-day ceremony from Sunday, May 4 to Monday, May 5. The 47th annual event included a “Walk of Honor” for surviving family members on Monday from the west steps of the Capitol to the memorial monument for the Enrollment Ceremony where the names of the newly enrolled officers were formally added to the monument. 

The event preceded National Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is observed annually on May 15. 

Members of the Galt Police Department’s honor guard were present at the memorial’s candlelight vigil Sunday evening, standing in honor of officers that have fallen in the line of duty, including Galt Police Officers Kevin Tonn and Harminder Grewal. 

“Last night we stood in candlelight; this morning, we stood in honor,” the department wrote on its Facebook page. “The California Peace Officers Memorial is more than a ceremony; it’s a reminded of the heroes we’ve lost, including our own.”  

Tonn was shot and killed Jan. 15, 2013 after responding to a burglary call on the 200 block of F Street. 

Upon arriving at the scene, a witness pointed to a suspect that was nearby, and as Tonn approach the man, the suspect pulled out a firearm and fired a single shot, striking Tonn. The man fired a few more shots at other responding officers before committing suicide. 

Tonn, a U.S. Army veteran who had served with the Galt Police Department for three and a half years, was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had also served as a firefighter and a medic. 

The Galt Police Department erected the Officer Kevin Tonn Fallen Heroes Memorial near City Hall in 2015. The city also hosts a 5k run/walk every year in Tonn’s honor as part of its Independence Day celebrations. 

Grewal died four days after his patrol vehicle was struck head on by a pickup truck that broke through a center barrier on Highway 99 near Dillard Road in 2021. 

Grewal, alongside his partner, officer Kapri Herrera, were traveling to assist with the Caldor Fire in the El Dorado National Forest before the crash. 

Grewal had served with the department for two and a half years. 

The Galt Police Department has held a wreath laying ceremony every year since his death, and in February, the department unveiled a memorial bust in front of its headquarters to honor Grewal. 

“We remember them not just for how they served, but for who they were,” the department wrote. “Their sacrifice lives on in all of us.” 

Gov. Gavin Newsom attended the event, where he ordered flags to be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol and Capitol Annex Swing Space. 

“We honor the lives and legacy these officers leave behind,” Newsom said. “They bravely served our communities, putting the needs of others before all. We thank them today and every day for their everlasting courage.” 

The ceremony specifically honored Vacaville Police Officer Matthew Bowen, who died July 11, as well as Deputy Alfredo M. Flores of the Los Angels County Sheriff’s Department, Officer Austin Christopher Machitar of the San Diego Police Department and Officer Chad E. Swanson of the Manhattan Beach Police Department. 

The event included a riderless horse presentation, the folding of the U.S. flag and releasing of doves. It concluded with a 21-gun salute and the playing of “Taps.”