ST. JOSEPH — More than 100 people stood silently at St. Joseph’s Berrien County Law Enforcement Memorial as officers and their families were honored with speeches, flowers and a salute.

The event was hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police Blossomland Lodge #100 of Benton Harbor. Of those honored, 17 were officers within the county, and three formerly resided in the county but served elsewhere. All 20 were killed in the line of duty between 1907 and 2016.

A wreath was placed in front of the memorial, 20 of its flowers representing the officers killed and one representing the officers’ families.

The service was meant to honor, grieve, remember and celebrate “our comrades, our heroes,” said Bonnie Kanicki. The retired assistant district commander of the Michigan State Police served as the event’s speaker.

When officers are called to serve, she said, they face three realities that could occur any workday: They could save a life, take a life or give their life.

“Just because something is there one day doesn’t mean it’s there the next, so say what you need to say and say it a little more,” Kanicki said. “Say it too much. Show too much. Love too much.”

After Kanicki’s speech, the 20 fallen officers were recognized. After each name was announced, an active officer walked up to the memorial and placed a white rose atop it. Then, the officer would salute the flowered memorial and walk away.

If the fallen officer had family present, they walked to the memorial with the officer, placing the flower on the stone monument.

A benediction by Reverend Marlo Fritzke of Saint Joseph’s First Baptist Church and a salute followed after.

Mia Rankin of Saint Joseph Public Safety hoped that viewers realized the struggle first responders go through and could go through each day.

It was Rankin’s third time attending the event. She personally knew Berrien County court officer Ronald Kienzle, who was killed on July 11, 2016. He partly served as her inspiration in becoming a reserve officer, she said.

Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey knew Kienzle, too. Kienzle and court security supervisor Joseph Zangaro, who was also killed on July 11 during a shooting at the Berrien County Courthouse, were his best friends, he said.

“Thank them for their dedication for law enforcement, and all they did for their communities, and making the ultimate sacrifice for going to work like everybody does, but not coming home that night because they ran towards danger, not away from it,” Bailey said of the 20 fallen officers.

The memorial ran in tandem with Police Week, running from Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18. The week, designated by former President John F. Kennedy, honors officers killed while serving nationally.