05/13/2026
Fallen officers remembered at Warren Police Week ceremony
Dedication, bravery hailed; officers travel to D.C. for more rituals
A dignified, solemn ceremony was held Monday to honor the lives of two Warren police officers and appreciate the dedication and effort officers engage in every day.
The gathering at the Warren Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 124 was held as part of National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day coming Friday.
Officer Edward A. Rea died in a car crash March 3, 1969 and Sgt. Christopher M. Wouters was killed Oct. 11, 2000.
“Today and everyday we remember two of our own,” said Warren police Capt. Gregory Booton, “who made the ultimate sacrifice for our city.”
“Police Week is a time to pause and reflect,” said Michael Parisek, FOP 124 president, standing in front of the memorial outside the entrance of the lodge. “It is time to remember the officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. Their names – Edward Rea and Christopher Wouters – are etched behind me on this memorial and forever in the hearts in the families they left behind.
“We must never forget that behind every uniform is a human being, a parent, a husband or wife, a son or daughter or a friend. And behind every fallen officer is a story of bravery and sacrifice that deserves to be told and remembered.”
Parisek noted the “long hours, missed holidays” that officers routinely experience to keep everyone safe.
“It is not just a job. It is a profession, a calling,” Parisek said.
Parisek said Police Week activities also serve as reminders that “the bond between law enforcement and the community matters. Trust, respect and unity are not just ideas. These are necessities.”
Since Peace Officers Memorial Day was created in 1962, activities have been held nationwide, including thousands of officers converging on Washington, D.C., Booton said.
Police Capt. Brent Chisholm read a proclamation by Mayor Lori Stone and a resolution from the Warren City Council.
Also speaking were Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins, Stone and Capt. Craig Bankowski, who provided the “2025 Roll Call of Heroes.”
The Warren Police Department Honor Guard raised the flags and provided a 21-gun salute, while officer Justin Lienemann played “Taps” on a trumpet, police Chaplain Jay Jackson gave the invocation and police Chaplain William Farina provided the benediction. A Marine Corps recording of the National Anthem was played.
*Macomb Daily Article
