After several weeks of work on a memorial in the Briarfield neighborhood honoring fallen Hattiesburg Police Department officers Benjamin Deen and Liquori Tate, the piece is almost ready for its public unveiling.
City workers have planted grass and flowerbeds around the walkway and added plaques on the memorial, which is located at the intersection of East Fourth and Ryan streets near the site where the officers were fatally shot during a traffic stop. A dedication ceremony will be held at the site at 3 p.m. May 9, the third anniversary of the officers’ deaths.
“It’s something that’ll be great for the community, and it’ll be a great location for them to have it at,” said Ryan Moore, public information officer for HPD. “It’ll be a staple for that area where people can go and remember our two officers that gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
One side of the memorial – which is made of carbon steel – is dedicated to Deen, with the other side honoring Tate.
The plaque on Deen’s side of the memorial reads “Deen was a dedicated Officer who loved Hattiesburg and the Briarfield Community with a Passion,” along with a passage from Psalm 91. Tate’s plaque reads “Tate had a Dream and a Will to serve the Citizens of Hattiesburg,” with a reference to Matthew 5:9.
Both plaques bear the inscription “End of Watch: May 9, 2015.”
The public is invited to the ceremony, which will be attended by officials from HPD, Hattiesburg and Forrest County. The memorial is being kept under a protective bag until the unveiling.
“As far as (turnout), anybody that’s (interested) to come to the three o’clock memorial is certainly welcome,” Moore said.
Cost of the memorial is roughly $40,000, which was donated by private donors and the Housing Authority of the City of Hattiesburg. The project, which is being built by Finlo Construction, was spearheaded by Assistant Police Chief Peggy Sealy.
“The memorial is something that we are really looking forward to, and it will be a landmark that will greatly honor two of Hattiesburg’s heroes who worked and loved that community,” Sealy said.
Deen and Tate were shot and killed May 9, 2015, after pulling over a motorist who was driving suspiciously. Nine people were eventually charged in connection with the officers’ deaths.
The man who allegedly pulled the trigger, Marvin Banks, died later in Forrest County Jail of apparent heart disease.
