H.C.R. 16

1

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING UTAH HIGHWAY PATROL USE
2 OF WHITE CROSSES AS ROADSIDE MEMORIAL
3 2011 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Lee B. Perry
6 Senate Sponsor: Daniel W. Thatcher
7 Cosponsors:
8 Roger E. Barrus
9 Derek E. Brown
10 Melvin R. Brown
11 David G. Butterfield
12 David Clark
13 Fred C. Cox
14 Bradley M. Daw
15 Brad L. Dee
16 Jack R. Draxler
17 Susan Duckworth
18 Rebecca P. Edwards
19 Steve Eliason
20 Janice M. Fisher
21 Julie FisherGage Froerer
Brad J. Galvez
Francis D. Gibson
Richard A. Greenwood
Keith Grover
Stephen G. Handy
Wayne A. Harper
Christopher N. Herrod
Todd E. Kiser
Bradley G. Last
John G. Mathis
Kay L. McIff
Ronda Rudd Menlove
Michael T. Morley
Merlynn T. NewboldCurtis Oda
Jeremy A. Peterson
Val L. Peterson
Marie H. Poulson
Kraig Powell
Paul Ray
Holly J. Richardson
Stephen E. Sandstrom
Kenneth W. Sumsion
Mark A. Wheatley
Ryan D. Wilcox
Larry B. Wiley
Carl Wimmer
Bill Wright 22
23 LONG TITLE
24 General Description:
25 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor supports the placement
26 of white crosses as roadside memorials to honor patrol officers killed in the line of duty.
27 Highlighted Provisions:
28 This resolution:
29 . expresses continued support for the Utah Highway Patrol's placement of white
30 crosses, or other appropriate symbols as requested by the family of a deceased patrol
31 officer, as memorials to highway patrol officers who have been killed in the line of

32 duty.
33 Special Clauses:
34 None
35
36 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
37 WHEREAS, since the statutory creation of the Utah Highway Patrol in 1923, 14
38 highway patrol officers have been killed in the line of duty;
39 WHEREAS, the 14 Utah Highway Patrolmen who have been killed in the line of duty
40 are Patrolman George "Ed" VanWagenen and Troopers Armond A. "Monty" Luke, George Dee
41 Rees, Charles D. Warren, John R. Winn, William J. Antoniewicz, Robert B. Hutchings, Ray
42 Lynn Pierson, Daniel W. Harris, Joseph "Joey" S. Brumett III, Dennis "Dee" Lund, Doyle R.
43 Thorne, Randy K. Ingram, and Thomas S. Rettberg;
44 WHEREAS, for the families of these officers who have paid the ultimate price for their
45 service, there is often very little that can be done to stem the tide of their grief and suffering, or
46 to help them move on with their lives;
47 WHEREAS, the families of these officers killed in the line of duty have been involved
48 in, and have supported, the creation of roadside memorials placed near the location of the
49 incidents that caused these deaths by the Utah Highway Patrol Association (UHPA), a private
50 fraternal organization whose mission includes protecting the rights of widows and orphans of
51 deceased members;
52 WHEREAS, each memorial represents a Utah Highway Patrol officer who died in the
53 line of duty and service to the state of Utah and its citizens;
54 WHEREAS, a white cross has become widely accepted as a symbol of a death, and not
55 a religious symbol, when placed along a highway;
56 WHEREAS, the memorials remind the citizens of Utah and this nation of the price that
57 is too often paid for safety and freedom;
58 WHEREAS, the memorials also console the family members left behind, who too often
59 consist of young mothers and young children;
60 WHEREAS, the primary feature of the memorials is a white cross, which was never
61 intended as a religious symbol, but as a symbol of the sacrifice made by these highway patrol
62 officers;

63 WHEREAS, the beehive emblem, which is also the official state emblem, is attached to
64 the cross because the emblem is worn as part of the official Utah Highway Patrol uniform;
65 WHEREAS, the purchase and placement of these memorials has been accomplished
66 through the Utah Highway Patrol Association, with private funds only; and
67 WHEREAS, given the heartfelt yet nonsectarian intentions of the memorials, removing
68 or tampering with them would clearly convey an absence of concern, respect, and recognition
69 of the sacrifices made by these officers and their families:
70 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
71 Governor concurring therein, express support for the Utah Highway Patrol's and the Utah
72 Highway Patrol Association's use of white crosses, or other appropriate marker as requested by
73 the family, as roadside memorials as a means to pay tribute to the heroes from the ranks of the
74 Utah Highway Patrol who have fallen and to their families.
75 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the surviving
76 spouse or nearest relative of each Utah Highway Patrol Officer who has been killed in the line
77 of duty and service to the citizens of Utah, the Utah Highway Patrol, and the Utah Highway
78 Patrol Association.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-7-11 11:33 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel