Crime & Safety

Police Honor Sgt. Hector Ayala at National Law Enforcement Memorial

Sgt. Ayala died in the line of duty in April 2010.

Montgomery County Police, family and friends of Sgt. Hector Ayala honored the 4th District police officer who was killed in the line of duty Thursday, with the unveiling of his name inscribed into the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Ayala died in early morning hours of April 4, 2010. While responding to a call, his police cruiser left the road and hit a tree on Randolph Road. In his seven year career as a police officer, Ayala had always worked in the 4th District.

"We lost a really good man," Melissa Ayala, his wife said, "But now our kids have somewhere to come to honor him."

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Melissa Ayala was six months pregnant at the time her husband died. In addition to her son, Hector Junior, triplets, Gabriella, Angelica and Victoria, born in June 2010, were also in attendance. 

Ayala said that she intended to make a tradition of coming to the memorial every year, especially as her children would not have memories of their father.

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"Coming back today, you feel a lot of the same emotions the day we lost him," Montgomery Police Chief  J. Thomas Manger said after the ceremony, "But there's a sense of peace, because I can't think of a more fitting tribute for a police officer."

Additional ceremonies will be held in honor of National Police Week in D.C., May 13 through 16. Sgt. Ayala is one of 316 police officers killed in the line of duty who's names will be added to memorial this year.


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