‘Tis the season for candidates to circulate their nominating petitions, but another petition is making the rounds in Rockford. It's a request for the city to rename the Morgan Street Bridge to honor Rockford police officers who have died in the line of duty.
David Hale, one of the people behind the petition, was moved to action by the recent death of a Rockford officer.
“His name is Jaimie Cox,” he said. “He’s a U.S. Army veteran and a Rockford police officer. He was slain during a traffic stop. But it’s also to honor all the police officers in Rockford. All seven of them who’ve been slain over about the last 100 years.”
Hale noted existing memorials for firefighters, first responders, and veterans. And he says it’s time to commemorate police officers.
The petition also requests a contest for high school students to design a plaque for the bridge. Petitions are available through the “Police Memorial Bridge Rockford” Facebook group and a number of Rockford-area businesses.
