St. Clair County hosts memorial ceremony for law enforcement officers killed or injured

St. Clair County on Tuesday hosted its annual memorial to honor 51 local law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

This year’s ceremony honored 24-year-old Brian Pierce Jr., the Brooklyn Police officer who was killed in the line of duty on Aug. 4, 2021, while he was attempting to stop a fleeing car by deploying spike strips on the McKinley Bridge in Venice.

The public and law enforcement were invited to attend the St. Clair County Law Enforcement Memorial Service at the sheriff’s department off North Fifth Street in Belleville to pay respects to the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in their efforts to keep communities safe.

Dupo Police Sgt. Patrick Carrier, who was shot in the line of duty on Feb. 26, was given a citation of valor for “an exceptional act of courage without regard to personal safety while such act could result in great bodily harm or death to himself while confronting an armed and dangerous adversary.”

Carrier responded to a call for assistance from the sheriff’s department regarding a complaint about gunshots fired and a man with a weapon on McBride Avenue in unincorporated St. Clair County near Dupo.

Carrier arrived on scene and saw the man walking around with a weapon. The officer “engaged with the armed suspect and was shot in shoulder,” according to the citation.

“Sgt. Carrier fell to the ground. The gunman walked over to Sgt. Carrier with his rifle and fired an additional shot that struck him the neck,” the citation states.

The suspect, Reginald O. Allen, also shot and killed a 46-year-old Darryl T. Mantz. He later killed himself.

The law enforcement community calls Carrier a credit to himself and the community for putting himself in danger to stabilize an extremely dangerous and chaotic situation.

St. Clair County Sheriff’s Sgt. James Hendricks said Carrier’s act of bravery certainly prevented the loss of more lives.

“I think it’s important for all of us in law enforcement to come together to honor the officers and the sacrifices they made to protect our communities,” Hendricks said.

Fallen Centreville officer remembered

The daughter of the late Lt. Greg Jonas, who was 58 when he was killed June 2, 2009, while on duty in Centreville, said the ceremony at the St. Clair County Jail was very emotional and moving.

Kalidah Jonas said she had all sorts of recollections from the day her father was shot and killed. She also thought of the times they spent together.

”The ceremony was very nice. It was touching due to me missing my father, Lt. Greg Jonas.

“I was able to ride in the procession from the church in O’Fallon to the sheriff’s department to honor the fallen officers. I really enjoyed that,” she said.

Jonas said one of the biggest days of her life was when her father walked her down the aisle for her first wedding.

She said she misses her father and wishes he were still alive.

“I will continue to honor my father until God says it’s my time to come home,” she said.

When he was killed, Lt. Jonas was working with the Centreville Police Department, which has since been folded into the Cahokia Heights Police Department.

Tuesday’s Memorial Ceremony Brought back “memories of him wearing that black hat and white shirt and me riding past his house seeing him sitting on the porch enjoying the air,” she said.

“I thought about him and his mother, my grandmother, laughing and talking. I thought about him and his grandson. He didn’t get to meet his granddaughter. I let her know her grandfather was a lieutenant at the Centreville Police Department,” Jonas said.

When she left home to go to the ceremony, Jonas said she talked to her father in her head all the way to the church and on the way to St. Clair County Jail.

The wall with all the names of fallen officers reminded Jonas that they all left their earthly homes and are “now patrolling Glory Street.”

Memories of Brian Pierce Jr.

Tammy Pierce described the ceremony as “beautiful.”

“Oh, my God, just amazing, so touching. It lets me know even though it’s been a year and a half they have not left our family. They have not forgotten him,” Pierce said of her son, Brian Pierce Jr.

When Tammy Pierce walked to the wall and saw her son’s name, she was overcome with emotions.

Brian’s name was the only one added Tuesday. He was the only officer killed in 2021 in St. Clair County.

“When I got to the wall, I laid a wreath as the officer I walked with bent down and lit a candle. He held my hand and we just stood and looked at the wall,” Pierce said.

“It was amazing. Everybody there was amazing!,” Pierce said of the ceremony.

Brian Pierce Sr. said he misses his son every day. The ceremony let him know that his family, like others who were there, were remembered by law enforcement and many others in the community.

“They showed us they have not and will not forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep all of us safe,” he said.