News Release

Fallen Heroes License Plate

Department: Sheriff
Release Date: Apr 27, 2012

Contact:

Larimer County Sheriff's Office
John Schulz, Public Information Officer

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed HB12-1023 yesterday, in a ceremony at the capitol, establishing a Colorado Law Enforcement Fallen Heroes license plate. Larimer County Sheriff's Office Deputy Basil Marciniak originated the idea for the license plate in response to the death of Weld County Sheriff's Deputy Sam Brownlee. Northern Colorado legislators B.J. Nikkel and Steven King sponsored the legislation. 

Like most of the northern Colorado law enforcement community, Deputy Marciniak was deeply affected by the death of Deputy Brownlee.  He contacted Colorado Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S), an organization dedicated to assisting families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, with an idea to create the specialty plate.  In conjunction with Colorado C.O.P.S. and Deputy Marciniak, a license plate was designed and donated by Luke Burton with Huston Graphics and Printing of Windsor (see:  attached design). 
 
3,000 signatures of interested citizens were gathered to demonstrate to the state that there was an interest from the public for this type of license plate.
 
Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith, who attended the ceremony with the governor, said, "This is an opportunity for citizens to recognize and remember the ultimate sacrifices many law enforcement officers have made and the risks officers face on a daily basis."
 
Now that the bill has been signed into law,  interested purchasers will be able to obtain a certificate to purchase the plates after making a one-time $50 donation to Colorado C.O.P.S. to support its programs. The certificates will be available soon and the license plates are expected to be available no later than January 1, 2013. Specialty license plate fees will also apply.
 
Kelly Young, President of Colorado C.O.P.S. may be contacted at (303) 887-9661. For more information, visit the Colorado C.O.P.S. website at www.coloradocops.org .
 
The Colorado Law Enforcement Day ceremony honoring Colorado's law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty will be held May 4 at the Colorado State Patrol Academy in Golden. National Police Week is scheduled for the week of May 13th in Washington, DC, and includes a number of events throughout the week.